A host record for Dasymutilla stevensi Mickel (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) from Capitol Reef National Park, Utah.

摘要

This note reports a host for Dasymutilla stevensi, a species of western North America. In the course of other studies in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA, we were apprised of two aggregations of ground-nesting bees about 1 km apart which proved to be the cactus-pollen collecting specialist, Diadasia australis. As is common with Diadasia nesting sites, both were in, and immediately adjacent to, infrequently used, but hard-packed, dirt roads. At each site, there were well over 100 Diadasia nest holes, at least three-quarters of which contained actively nesting female bees. Inspection of both nesting sites revealed several female (and a few male) mutillid wasps wandering over the surface, investigating open nest-holes. Dasymutilla stevensi sometimes entered open Diadasia australis nests unlike its congener, Dasymutilla foxi, which did not enter open Diadasia diminuta nests. Screened, wood-framed emergence cages were placed over part of one site in early July. These were checked daily; as soon as several adult Dasymutilla stevensi had emerged into them, thereby confirming that Diadasia australis was a host, the cages were removed. Host records are available for only 26 of the approximately 140 taxa of Dasymutilla in North America. In all cases, hosts are either bees or wasps.