Diptera.info

Posted by ebbek on 10-08-2022 15:00

Today i watched a Miltogramma that was very interested in a nest with i digging solitary bee (Dasypoda hirtipes). I think it is Miltogramma oestraceum and is iot possible to confirm?

From SW Sweden today.

Regards

Krister

Edited by ebbek on 10-08-2022 15:03

Posted by Sundew on 10-08-2022 15:29

M. oestraceum seems to be the only brood parasite of Dasypoda hirtipes (https://www.wildb...i-p842.htm); it puts its eggs to the pollen supply of the larva. Since such interactions are highly specific, your guess should be correct!
Regards, Sundew

Posted by Zeegers on 11-08-2022 08:02

Well, there is a difference between “only”. and “only recorded”. Moreover, females of oestraceum cannot be separated from germari, officially. This one looks like germari to me.

Theo

Posted by Sundew on 11-08-2022 14:27

I thought Daniel Whitmore should be able to solve the problem. Here is his answer:
"Many Miltogramminae aren't species-specific, so Theo is right. M. germari is a known parasite of D. hirtipes." He refers to two interesting papers by Welch & Owens (2017, 2019) found in https://ia601707....12unse.pdf and https://dipterist...No%202.pdf.
So three Miltogramma species are known to be cleptoparasites of Dasypoda hirtipes, and we can only exclude M. punctata. 1:0 for Theo

Posted by ebbek on 04-08-2023 18:29

Thanks Theo and Sundew - very interesting info! I have missed your replies and saw them at first today.

Regards

Krister