Meloboris collector (Thunberg, 1824)

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 : 43-44

Meloboris collector (Thunberg, 1824) (Fig. 14A–B)

Surprisingly, M. collector has been rather poorly described in recent literature, although it is deemed to be the most common species in the genus (see also HORSTMANN, 2004; HORSTMANN, 2013) and has sometimes been treated as a biological agent ( KHAN, 1997). In fact, it seems to be one of the most common ichneumonid wasps all-round in the Low Countries, with many widespread hosts as Agrotis exclamationis (Linnaeus, 1758) and A. segetum (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) ( Lepidoptera : Noctuidae ). It is often found in gardens, sometimes with light traps, and seems to have a very wide phenology (March-November). One specimen was attracted by a pheromone-trap of Spodoptera exigua (Hübner, 1808) ( Lepidoptera : Noctuidae ). Based on SCHMIEDEKNECHT (1908) (who used the synonym Napiera concinna ), HORSTMANN (2013) and our specimens we hereby give a short description.

The head and mesosoma are black with whitish pubescence, especially on the mesopleuron and propodeum. The palps and mandibles are yellow (Fig. 14 B). The antennae and scapus are black, the latter sometimes with yellow stains on the ventral side. The pterostigma is brownish, tegulae yellowish white. The hind legs have a specific colour pattern: coxae black, trochanters yellowish white but black basally, femora orange-red and black basally and apically, tibiae also black basally and apically, but yellowish white medially [exceptionally orange, in specimens from the UK; see Fig. 14 A] and tarsi black. The front and mid legs are (light) orange with yellowish white coxae and trochanters. The metasoma is predominantly black with apical margins reddish brown. The dorsolateral sides are increasingly red apically, superficially resembling Stilbops vetulus (Gravenhorst, 1829) . Length 5–6 mm.

First report for the Netherlands; unreported in Belgium.

MATERIAL EXAMINED:

BELGIUM: • 1 ♀; Sint-Andries , Ter Heyde (WVL); 24/vi/2016; W. Dekoninck et al. (KBIN) leg.; coll. KBIN/RBINS (project Bruges heathlands); yellow pan trap (10-24); F. Verheyde det. • 1 ♀; De Haan , Duinengordel tot Bredene - Vosseslag (WVL); 51°16’07”N 3°00’23”E; 14/vii/2017; P. Vanhauwere leg. [UGent]; coll. KBIN/RBINS (ENDURE-project, 103_DHN1_3_N); field observation; F. Verheyde det. • 1 ♀; Knokke , Het Zwin - Strand (WVL); 51°21’57”N 3°21’02”E; 19/vii/2017; P. Vanhauwere leg. [UGent]; coll. KBIN/RBINS (ENDURE-project, 155_ZWN _5_N); field observation; F. Verheyde det. • 1 ♂; Snellegem , Waterwinning (WVL); 21/vi/2019; W. Dekoninck et al. (KBIN) leg.; coll. KBIN/RBINS (project Bruges heathlands); malaise trap (7–21); F. Verheyde det. • 1 ♀; Zeebrugge (WVL); 51°19’13”N 3°10’40”E; 1/vii/2020; A. Beidts leg.; coll. ADK; field observation; A. De Ketelaere det. (ObsID: 204524959) […].

THE NETHERLANDS: • 2 ♂♂; Utrecht, Soesterberg – Vliegbasis West (UT); 52°07’50”N 5°15’58”E; 24/v/2019 & 23/vi/2019; T. Zeegers leg.; coll. FV (Soesterberg-project, 21– 24.V.2019 & 21–23.VI.2019; nr. 44 & nr. 46); malaise trap; F. Verheyde det. • 1 ♀; Ossendrecht, Meiduinen (NB); 51°24’00”N 4°20’55”E; 5/vii/2019; H. Nouwens leg.; light trap; F. Verheyde det. (ObsID: 175824503) . • 1 ♂; Utrecht, Soesterberg – Vliegbasis West (UT); 52°07’50”N 5°15’58”E; 23/iv/2020; T. Zeegers leg.; coll. Naturalis ( Soesterberg-project , 20– 23.IV.2020; nr. 36); malaise trap; F. Verheyde det. • 1 ♀; Wageningen (GE); 51°58’09”N 5°41’18”E; 17/viii/2020; R. Beunen leg.; light trap; F. Verheyde det. (ObsID: 198614536) • 1 ♀; Drachten (FR); 53°05’59”N 6°06’32”E; 22/viii/2020; H. Meijer leg.; coll. HM; light trap; H. Meijer det.