A northern range extension of a Canadian species of Special Concern, Dielis pilipes (Hymenoptera: Scoliidae), in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia

Authors

  • T.D. Nelson Summerland Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  • C.E. Moffat Summerland Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Abstract

The only known Canadian records of the yellow scarab hunter wasp, Dielis pilipes (Saussure) (Hymenoptera: Scoliidae), are from the southern Okanagan and Similkameen valleys of British Columbia. We report a 25-km northern range extension of the species into the Ponderosa Pine Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification zone, collected in an unmanaged agricultural field in Summerland, British Columbia. This finding is of conservation importance and has implications for natural biological control of ten-lined June beetles, Polyphylla decemlineata (Say) and P. crinita LeConte (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), incidental agricultural pests in the Okanagan.

A female goldenrod crab spider (Misumena vatia) on a prickly rose (Rosa acicularis) that just captured a caterpillar in the River Valley of Edmonton on 13 June 2021. Goldenrod crab spiders are widely distributed across Canada and are commonly encountered in open areas patiently sitting on flowers waiting for prey to approach. Although pollinators (flies, butterflies, bees, hoverflies, etc.) are a significant component of their diet, they also take the opportunity to feed on other invertebrates. The photo was taken by Jaime Pinzon whose son spent half an hour watching the spider and exclaimed “Oh, the kiss of death!”, when the spider finally met its prey.

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Published

2022-02-02

Issue

Vol. 118 (2021): Vol. 118 (2021): Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia

Section

Natural History & Observations

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