Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Sapygina louisi
Explanation of Names
Sapyga louisi Krombein 1938
Size
Female 7.8 mm. Male 6 mm.
Identification
Head: Black, rough textured. Eyes indented on inner margin, with thin yellow margin. Yellow spot above mouth (clypeus).
Antenna: Black, not long. Male antenna segments progressively wider to tip (club-horned).
Thorax: Collar (pronotum) wide, black and rough textured with a very narrow yellow band slightly interrupted at center. Female also has tiny spots on lower edges of pronotum near wing base. Segment 1 (scutum) entirely black, rough. Segment 2 (scutellum) has a yellow transverse line. Female has a very small yellow dot on each side of segment base, just in from wing base. Segment 3 (propodeum) has a large spot on each side. Thorax side has a large spot under wing base.
Wings: Slightly tinted. Veins and stigma dark brown. Marginal cell and tip tinted brown.
Legs: Thighs (femora) black. Shins (tibiae) reddish-brown, with yellow streak in front. Feet darker.
Abdomen: Black, dull except segment 1 which is shiny and entirely black.
Segment 2 has a wide yellow stripe, indented at center, may have a black spot on lower border at each side of center.
Segments 3 to 5 have the stripe narrowing to a thin line which curves upward at center; slightly interrupted. The thin lines may wear off.
Segment 5 and 6 (on male) have a spot at each side edge.
Underside has progressively smaller spots or thin lines at side edges of 2 to 4 or 5 in female, and only on segment 2 in male.
Range
Canada: Ontario. USA: Arkansas and New York
Habitat
Forest edges, fields and meadows.
Food
Adults feed on nectar and pollen.
Life Cycle
Larvae are parasitic on Leaf-cutter Bees Heriades carinata and H. leavitti and probably Megachile. Females lay an egg by piercing the cell wall. When the egg hatches, it eats the host egg and provisions. When mature, larva form a cocoon developing into adult form, and over-winter as an adult still in the cocoon. One generation per year.
Remarks
Types:
Holotype as Sapyga louisi female by Krombein, 1938. #55763. Locality: Niagara Falls, New York Jul 20, 1935. In United States National Museum, Smithsonian as ‘Inquire Types: legacy data of uncertain quality.’ No photos.
Allotype - Male, from Niagara Falls, New York, July 20, 1935 (Krombein on Daucus carota). No record.
“Sapyga louisi is named in honor of my father, Dr. Louis H. Krombein, who introduced me to the fascinating world of insects at a very tender age. The small size and reduced markings readily separate this species from other Northeastern Sapyga.” Krombein.
Internet References
Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 1938, Vol. 31, pg. 465 by Krombein.
Contributions to the American Entomological Institute, 1965, Vol. 1 #3, pp. 24 to 26 - life history.
Trap-nesting Wasps and Bees, 1967 by Krombein.
Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 2007, Vol. 109. Parasite.
