Bembix venusta Arnold, 1929

Gess, Friedrich W. & Gess, Sarah K., 2014, Geographical distributions of Bembix (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae, Bembicinae) in southern Africa, with notes on biology, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 36, pp. 53-130 : 99-100

Bembix venusta Arnold Fig. 15c

Bembex venusta Arnold, 1929: 347, figs 15, 15a-d, plate VI, figs 35, 47, ♂, ♀ (Syntypes, Namibia, Kamanyab (sic) [Kamanjab] and Namibia, various localities, in SAMC) (in revision of southern African Sphecidae ); Arnold 1930: 21 (in checklist of Afrotropical Sphecidae ).

Bembix venusta Arnold & Lohrmann, 1948: 447 (member of diversipennis species group); R. Bohart and Menke 1976: 549 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Gess and Gess 2003: 125 (flower visiting records); Pulawski 2013: 91 (in catalogue of world Sphecidae sensu lato).

Material examined.

ANGOLA: Eriksons’ Drift, Kunene River [circa 17.15S, 14.36E], iii.1923 (S.W. Africa Mus. Exped.) [A.J. Hesse et al.], paratype ♀, paratype ♂ [SAMC ex NMBZ]. NAMIBIA: Ongandjera [17.55S, 15.05E], iii.1923 (S.W. Africa Mus. Exped.) [A.J. Hesse et al.], 1 ♀ [SAMC ex NMBZ]; [on road] 3704 to Sesfontein 57 km from Opuwa (18.29S, 13.48E), 20.iii.1999, 1 ♀; on [road] 3704 to Opuwa 53 km from Sesfontein (18.49S, 13.46E), 19.iii.1999, 1 ♀; 23 km by r[oa]d to Uis on [road] C35 from [road] C39 (20.31S, 14.5E), 1.iv.1997, 1 ♂ (visiting white flowers of Leucas pechuelii (Kuntze) Guerke, Lamiaceae ); between Omaruru and Wilhemstal (21.31S, 16.03E), 3.iv.1998, 7 ♀♀, 4 ♂♂ (4 ♀♀, 4 ♂♂ visiting deep pink flowers of Hermbstaedtia odorata (Burch.) T. Cooke, Amaranthaceae ; 1 ♀ with prey: Bombyliidae ); c[irca] 9 km S [of] Omaruru on r[oa]d to Karibib (21.32S, 15.58E), 24. iii. 1997, 1 ♂; 22 km N [of] Kalkrand (23.55S, 17.28E), 3.iv.2004, 1 ♂ (visiting yellow flowers of Gazania pectidea (DC.) Harv., Asteraceae ) - (all F.W. and S.K. Gess) [all AMGS].

Additional localities recorded by Arnold (1929) but specimens not seen by the present authors: NAMIBIA: Ombombo [18.40S, 13.56E]; Kamanjab [19.38S, 14.49E]; Otjimbumbe [locality not traced].

Geographical distribution.

Northern Namibia and across the Kunene in southern Angola ( Fig. 16c ).

Floral associations.

Recorded from three plant families: Amaranthaceae ( Hermbstaedtia odorata (Burch.) T. Cooke); Asteraceae ( Gazania pectidea (DC.) Harv.); Lamiaceae ( Leucas pechuelii (Kuntze) Guerke).

Nesting.

Unknown.

Prey.

Recorded taking one family of Diptera : Bombyliidae (one female captured with bombyliid prey).

Figures

Figure 15. Bembix spp.: a Bembix triangulifera, female, male b Bembix ulula, female, male c Bembix venusta, female, male d Bembix zinni, female, male. (approximate lengths of females: a 14.5 mm; b 15.5 mm; c 22 mm; d 14 mm)

Figure 16. Distributions of collection records of Bembix spp.: a Bembix triangulifera b Bembix ulula c Bembix venusta d Bembix zinni.