Hoplitis (Alcidamea) hypocrita, (COCKERELL)

Rozen, Jerome G. & Praz, Christophe J., 2016, Mature Larvae and Nesting Biologies of Bees Currently Assigned to the Osmiini (Apoidea: Megachilidae), American Museum Novitates 2016 (3864), pp. 1-48 : 39-41

HOPLITIS (ALCIDAMEA) HYPOCRITA (COCKERELL)

An empty cocoon of Hoplitis hypocrita was pinned with the adult that had emerged from it through a tear along the side (fig. 58). Hence, the front of the cocoon was intact. It possessed a well-formed anterior outer cocoon layer bearing on its anterior surface an orderly stack of yellowish fecal pellets, each about 1.0 mm long and 0.25 mm in maximum diameter. These pellets had been deposited on the cell closure at the front of the cocoon before the cocoon was spun. Either at the time of adult eclosion or when the entire cocoon was removed from the cell, the anterior outer layer of the front with attached feces had been partly pulled away from the body of the cocoon (fig. 59), thus partly exposing the front of the now seemingly shrunken inner cocoon layer behind it. This permitted one to see the opaque yellowish-white air-exchange portal, central on the front of the inner layer (arrow) and also the passageway for air exchange between the outer layer and the inner layer. The passageway was strewn with erect fibers connecting the two layers and serving as screening thereby excluding parasites. After the outer layer was completely detached from the body of the cocoon, the erect fibers connecting the two layers were densest around their peripheries (figs. 61, 62). Thus the openings of the pas-

sageway completely ringed the anterior sides of the cocoon. The air-exchange portal centered on the outer surface front of the inner layer and consisted of a tight cluster of densely screened fenestrations when viewed externally (fig. 61) and facing the inner surface of the outer layer (fig. 62). The inner surface of the inner layer (fig. 63) reveals the screened opening of the air exchange-portal typical of all osmiines.

MATERIAL STUDIED: One cocoon: Utah: Cache Co.: Logan Cyn #4, 41 45 39.01N 111 42 26.83W (F.D. Parker). Rearing No. 22757 C. From collection in USDA laboratory, Logan, Utah .

HOFFERIA SCHMIEDEKNECHTI (SCHLETTERER)

The following brief notes are about a nest found in wood of a dead cypress tree in Israel. This same nest was described by Müller and Trunz (2014) in which photographs of the habi- tat and nest were presented. Two cells were arranged in linear series, and one cell measured 9.0 mm long and 4.5 mm in maximum width. The nest entrance tunnel was 10 mm long, open except for a mass of pollen in front of cell 2, perhaps an indication that the female intended to place a third cell there. The dark, semitransparent nest closure was composed of clear but dark resin on the inside and a mixture of soil, small pebbles, and resin toward the out- side. Cell partitions are reported to be made FIGURES 61–63. SEM micrographs of front end of with resin alone (Müller and Trunz. 2014), and cocoon of Hoplitis hypocrita . 61. Front end of inner a reexamination of the nest after reading this lining showing air-exchange portal, center. 62. Part of publication confirmed that cell walls were not inner surface of outer layer, center to the left, showing bands of webbing to the right through which air is lined with resin. The cocoon was semitranspar- exchanged around periphery of front end of cocoon. ent, faintly darker than that of Heriades , with 63. Inner surface of front end of cocoon showing black fecal pellets pressed to the inner cocoon webbing of air-exchange portal. surface, an indication of cocoon spinning dur- ing defecation.

MATERIAL STUDIED: One nest: Israel: Lehavot, V-3-2013 ( V. Trunz, D. Bénon) in oval tunnel presumably made by buprestid in wood of a dead Cupressus .