![]() ![]() Xanthocryptus novozealandicus in Titirangi Auckland. The beetle has been known to mimic its parasitoid through both coloration and flight pattern. novozealandicus, mimics the wasp's coloration, thought to be an example of aposematism helping to protect them from birds. The beetle Drototelus elegans, attacked by X. The wasp uses the white part of the antenna to palpate damaged wood and identify a suitable host. ![]() They display very long black antennae with a single distinct band of white near the tip, although the tip itself is also black. The back two legs have a single set of white bands each. Their front legs tend to be short and their back four legs much longer with primarily reddish-brown coloration and black tips. They exhibit primarily black coloration with white spots covering their thorax and white stripes along their abdomen and head. novozealandicus is larger than the male of the species, with the female reaching between 9 and 15mm long, while the males are between 5 and 11mm long. This specific parasite prefers to prey on larger second year larvae due to its larger size. novozealandicus prefers to prey on second year lemon tree borer larvae. This has the incidental benefit of helping to control some pests. When a suitable host is found, the female pushes her ovipositor through the wood and injects her eggs into the grub. Females hunt for larvae of wood-boring beetles around March, including the lemon tree borer ( Oemona hirta), a native cerambycid that tunnels into citrus trees, grapes and many native species. It is also found in Australia and New Guinea. Xanthocryptus novozealandicus, the lemon tree borer parasite, is a wasp in the family Ichneumonidae. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |