Cleptoparasitic behaviour of Sphecodes tantalus nurse (1903) on Lasioglossum marginatum (Brulle) in Kashmir Dar Showket A.*, Wani A. R. Department of Entomology, RTCPPPM Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology, Shalimar, Jammu and Kashmir, 190025 *Email: showketdar43@gmail.com
Online published on 5 February, 2019. Abstract The bees in genus Sphecodes are cleptoparasites in nature and lay their eggs in the nests of Lasioglossum spp. This study is a new report and was conducted in different landscapes under temperate conditions during 2012 to 2017. The halictid Sphecodes tantalus Nurse was observed to parasitize the nests of Lasioglossum marginatum Brulle. This parasite searches for nest burrows, locate it and then intrude to kill the eggs and larvae. The fresh provisioned cells were attacked, destroyed and the eggs were laid inside. The adults were not attacked with parasitisation showing an association with population of L. marginatum. Significantly maximum egg and larval parasitisation of 24.55 and 14.35% were observed in Budgam. Higher parasitisation of 16.50% was observed in dry areas, with maximum of 26.33 nests visited, constituting 36% of intrusion and 10.38% parasitisation. Top Keywords Sphecodes, Lasioglossum, egg, larvae, parasitism, nests, visits, intrusions, Budgam. Top |