Explanation of Names
Cryptocheilus Panzer, 1806
from the Latin cryptō and/or Ancient Greek κρυπτός, kryptós ('hidden') + Ancient Greek χεῖλος, kheîlos ('lip'). Therefore "hidden-lip".
Numbers
6 spp. (including 4 sspp.) in our area:
1.
Cryptocheilus attenuatum: CO, IA, KS, LA, TN, TX
3a. Cryptocheilus idoneum birkmanni: 100°W to Rocky Mts.
5.
Cryptocheilus severini: 100°W to Rocky Mts.; AZ, s. CA, NM
Size
Most are medium-sized wasps, 15 mm or under.
(1)Identification
Some species are entirely black, although any medium to small spider wasp with orange wings or flagellum should be suspected as this genus.
Cryptocheilus belongs to the subfamily Pepsinae, tribe Pepsini which is defined by the following characters: groove in 2nd sternite, crease on side of 1st tergite marking off an epipleuron, serrate HT, at least a partially exposed labrum, concave sides of 1st tergite (look dorsally), spines on end of hind tibia of equal size and spacing.
Subtle wing venation and other characters used to separate genera and species, see Townes (1957) for this information.
Overview of Species and Subspecies
A. Antennae and wings orange
C. attenuatum: antennae orange, wings orange, eastern range
C. pallidipenne: antennae orange, wings yellow to orange, western range
B. Antennae orange and wings black
C. idoneum birkmanni: apical ±16% of wing black, apical margin of clypeus weakly concave, face with pale mark; southwestern range
C. severini: apical ±10% of wing black, apical margin of clypeus strongly concave; western range
C. terminatus terminatus: apical ±25% of wing black, apical margin of clypeus weakly concave, face without pale mark; western range
C. Antennae and wings black
C. hesperus: propodeum of female with sharp wrinkles, western range
C. idoneum idoneum: propodeum of female with at most fine wrinkles, face with pale mark; southeastern range (FL, GA, MN, NC, VA)
C. terminatus subopacus: propodeum of female with at most fine wrinkles, face without pale mark; eastern range (DC, KS, MD, PA, VA)
Range
Transcontinental. See species pages for more information.
Habitat
Varied, but generally found in more open situations (meadows/prairies, woodland edges, deserts, sand blow-outs, and vegetated sand dunes). See individual species accounts for more detailed information.
Season
Peak abundance is mid- to late-July in northern states. Based on available specimen data the flight season is longer with a wider peak abundance in southern states.
Food
Adults commonly on flowers, especially Daucus carota, Pastinaca sativa, and Eryngium yuccifolium. Prey is normally a Lycosid.
Life Cycle
Cryptocheilus have only one generation per year in most of the North America. Peak abundance is typically in mid-July in northern states/provinces. Adults commonly on flowers, especially Daucus carota, Pastinaca sativa, and Eryngium yuccifolium. Females are found in low vegetation searching for prey, males in the same habitat searching for females. Females provision nests in the ground, typically a burrow off the side of a large fissure in the ground or a mammal burrow that is constructed after prey is secured. Nest provisions are Lycosid spiders. Prey is transported backward, grasped by a leg.
See Also
North American species are very closely allied to
Entypus, and some authors consider them congeneric. Relationship to other members of the genus, especially those in the Old World tropics, is doubtful.
Print References
Krombein, K.V. 1979. Pompilidae, pp. 1523-1571. In Krombein, K.V., P.D. Hurd, Jr., D.R. Smith, and B.D. Burks, eds. Catalog of Hymenoptera in America North of Mexico. Vol. 2 Apocrita (Aculeata). Smithsonian Inst. Press, Washington, D.C. (prey records, references)
Townes, H.K. 1957. Nearctic wasps of the subfamilies Pepsinae and Ceropalinae. U.S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 209: 1-286. (species, descriptions, keys, distribution)
