Polistes with Strepsiptera? - Xenos

Moved

… Charley Eiseman, 8 November, 2011 - 11:16am

Polistes dorsalis, female (FL)

Based on the black mid and hind coxae and the largely black mesopleuron it is safe to conclude that this is P. dorsalis. P. bellicosus is very similar but should have these body parts largely red. Size is also diagnostic but is not indicated here (P. dorsalis is the smaller species). Amazing photo!

… Matthias Buck, 14 November, 2006 - 5:26pm

Sorry about that. It was abou

Sorry about that. It was about 11mm, smaller than some other Polistes around here.

… Sean McCann, 14 November, 2006 - 5:31pm

Polistes bellicosus - female

Three parasites for a single individual is already a heavy parasitism. Although Xenos vesparum is common on P.dominula (new spelling for P. dominulus) here in Western Europe, I never saw specimens with more than three Strepsipteran "squatters", and most have two or only one.
When I was a child, I had the habit to remove them "surgically" from the Paper-wasp host with a tweezer. I had noticed that by drowning a wasp in moderately warm water (ca 35°c) it was only "anaesthetized" and would recover as soon as dry again.

… Richard Vernier, 10 November, 2006 - 1:55am

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Thanks a lot!
Should I post this to the species page for the wasp, or the Strepsiptera?

… Sean McCann, 13 November, 2006 - 1:18pm

My opinion...

Though I'm no editor or anything, I'd say the Strepsiptera record is more significant. Nonetheless, can't you just re-upload the photo in each section?

… Noor Beckwith, 13 November, 2006 - 3:44pm

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I suppose I can! Will do.

… Sean McCann, 13 November, 2006 - 4:00pm

Yup!!

Cool shot! Those are either females or pupae.

… Matt Bertone, 9 November, 2006 - 3:52pm

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Thanks! I only noticed after I offloaded the camera, otherwise I might have been tempted to capture the wasp for a closer inspection.

… Sean McCann, 9 November, 2006 - 4:43pm