Cryptus titubator (Thunberg, 1822)

Verheyde, Fons, Hoekstra, Paul, Libert, Pierre-Nicolas, Meijer, Hilco, Ketelaere, Augustijn De, Vandaudenard, Thibaud, Belgers, Dick & Brosens, Edwin, 1880, Two hundred and five ichneumonid wasps reported for the first time in Belgium and the Netherlands (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), Belgian Journal of Entomology 122, pp. 1-142 : 56

Cryptus titubator (Thunberg, 1822)

Cryptus spp. are archetypical for cryptine wasps: relatively long and slender, prominent ovipositor, areolet present, notauli relatively strong and females often with banded antennae. Based on the habitus they share similarities with, for example Buathra or Hoplocryptus spp. but the former genus has a well-developed tentorial pit dorsally, the latter has a distinct median tooth on the clypeus. Finally, Cryptus spp. usually have an elliptic or sub-circular propodeal spiracle ( TOWNES, 1970a; SCHWARZ [2013], draft key).

Cryptus titubator is a smaller species with shorter ovipositor sheaths (0.9 to 1.0× the length of the hind tibia). Its head and mesoscutum are black, thus contrasting with a completely orange-red metasoma (except for the postpetiole). The ventral part of the frons is smooth and without striae ( SCHWARZ, 2015). Its frontal orbits are often whitish. Among the hosts are the common moths Operophtera brumata (Linnaeus, 1758) and Agriopis aurantiaria (Hübner, 1799) ( Lepidoptera : Geometridae ) ( VINDSTAD et al., 2013).

First report for the Netherlands; confirmed in Belgium.

MATERIAL EXAMINED:

BELGIUM: • 1 ♀; Dudzele (WVL); 51°16’42”N 3°13’13”E; 15/v/2019; H. De Blauwe leg.; field observation; M. Schwarz & F. Verheyde det. (ObsID: 172389768) .

THE NETHERLANDS: • 1 ♀; Eastermar (FR); 53°10’47”N 6°05’39”E; 20/vi/2012; Landschapsbeheer Friesland leg.; coll. HM; malaise trap 31 (13–20); H. Meijer det.