Bembix albofasciata Smith

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 : 58-60

Bembix albofasciata Smith Fig. 1c

Bembex albofasciata F. Smith, 1873: 296, ♂ (Holotype or syntypes, ♂, no locality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, in BMNH); Handlirsch 1893: 891(original description copied); Dalla Torre 1897: 502 (in catalogue of world Hymenoptera ); Arnold 1929: 336, figs 7, 7a, 7b, pl. 6, figs 1, 2, ♂, ♀ (in revision of southern African Sphecidae ).

Bembex Karschii Handlirsch, 1893: 742, pl. 1, fig. 21, pl. 6, fig. 18, ♂, ♀ (Syntypes, no localities, Cape Province and Transvaal, South Africa, in BMNH, MHNG, ZMHB, SMNS); Dalla Torre 1897: 507 (in catalogue of world Hymenoptera ); Turner 1912b: 373, (synonymy of Bembix karschii with Bembix albofasciata ).

Bembix albofasciata Smith, R. Bohart and Menke 1976: 545 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Gess 1981: 21 (nest, prey); 1986: 149-151 (nesting, nest Fig. 27, plants visited, prey); Gess and Gess 2003: 121-122 (flower visiting records); Evans and O’Neil 2007: 183 (summary of information on nesting habits); Pulawski 2013: 3 (in catalogue of world Sphecidae sensu lato).

Note.

Turner (1912b: 373) stated that the range does not appear to be very extensive, the series in the National Collection (i.e. The Natural History Museum London) being mostly from the southern Transvaal, with one or two specimens from Lesotho (as Basutoland) and northern KwaZulu-Natal (as Zululand).

Material examined.

ZIMBABWE: Inyanga [18.13S, 32.44E], 20.i.1948, 1 ♀ [SAMC ex NMBZ]; Inyanga, 7.ii.1940 (G. Arnold) 1 ♀ [SAMC ex NMBZ]; Inyanga, 9.ii.1940 (G. Arnold), 1 ♀ [SAMC ex NMBZ]; Rhodes Inyanga National Park [18.19S, 32.44E], 13.i.1955 (B.R.S., P.G.) 1 ♂ [AMGS]. LESOTHO: Bokong P.O. [29.20S, 28.18E], 26.xii.1946 (A. Jacot- Guillarmod), 1 ♂ [AMGS]; Mahlatsa [29.10S, 27.57E], 30.xii.1951 (A. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♀ [AMGS]; Mamathes [29.08S, 27.51E], ii.1940 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♂ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 1.1943 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♀ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 26.ii.1944 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♀ with prey Asilidae [AMGS]; Mamathes, 13.i.1945 (A. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♀[AMGS]; Mamathes 31.xii.1945 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♀ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 13.i.1946 (Miss M.H. Marr), 1 ♀ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 8.xii.1946 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♂ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 28.xii.1946 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♂[AMGS]; Mamathes, 19.i.1947 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♀ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 18.xii.1949 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♀ with prey Diptera [AMGS]; Mamathes, 15.i.1950 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♀ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 21.i.1950 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♂ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 29.i.1950 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♂ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 4.ii.1950 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♀ with prey Eristalis tenax (L.) ( Syrphidae ) [AMGS]; Mamathes,14.ii.1950 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♂ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 10.xii.1950 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♂ [AMGS]; 2.xii.1951 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♂ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 2.xii.1951 (A. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♂ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 1.i.1952 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♀ on Calpurnia intrusa [ Fabaceae : Papilionoideae ]; Mamathes, 27.i.1952 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♀ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 3.ii.1952 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod) 1 ♀ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 15.ii.1952 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♀ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 31.xii.1952 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♂ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 2.i.1953 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♂, 1 ♀, on Calpurnia intrusa [ Fabaceae : Papilionoideae ] [AMGS]; Mamathes, 6.i.1953 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 2 ♂♂ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 28.ii.1956 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 2 ♀♀ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 2.i.1959 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♀ [AMGS]; Mamathes, i.1961 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♀ [AMGS]; Mamathes, 20.xii.1930 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♀ [SAMC ex NMBZ]; Mamathes, iii.1940 (C. Jacot Guillarmod), 1 ♀ [DMSA]; Mamathes, 27.xii.1946 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♂ [SAMC ex NMBZ]; Mamathes, 28.xii.1946 (Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♂ [SAMC ex NMBZ]; Mamathes, 6.i.1953 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♂ [AMGS]; Qachasnek [30.7S, 28.42E], 14.i.1969 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 3 ♀♀ [AMGS]; Roma [29.28S, 27.44E], 17.xii.1964 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 2 ♂♂ [AMGS]; Teyateyaneng [29.9S, 27.45E], 25.xi.1945 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♂ [AMGS]; Tlametlu River [29.28S, 27.25E], 26.i.1955 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♀; n[ea]r Morija [circa 29.38S, 30.48E], (5400 f[ee]t, 25.i.1955 (L. Bevis), 1 ♀ [DMSA]; Mashai R[iver] [circa 29.40S, 28.47E], 24.i.1939 (Nat. Museum S. Rhodesia), 1 ♂ [SAMC ex NMBZ]; Pulane, n[ea]r Mateka [29.14S, 27.53E], 5.i.1954 (L. Bevis), 1 ♂ [DMSA]; n[ea]r Posong [??], 8.i.1953 (L. Bevis), 1 ♂ [DMSA]. SOUTH AFRICA: GAUTENG: Benoni [26.11S, 28.18E], 28.xi.1964 (Empey), 1 ♀ [AMGS]; Ermelo [26.32S, 29.59E] 26.xi.1948, (N.C. Mokhele), 1 ♀ [AMGS]; Strubens Valley, Florida [26.31S, 29.57E], 26.i.1966 (Empey), 1 ♀ [AMGS]. LIMPOPO: Sabie, 25.iii.1970 (Empey), 1 ♀ [AMGS]. NORTH WEST PROVINCE: Delarey [Delareyville] [26.41S, 25.26E], i.1917 (Brauns), 1 ♂ [SAMC ex NMBZ]. FREE STATE: Chicago, Lindley District [27.53S, 27.55E] (D.J. Brothers), 1 ♂, 13 ♀♀, 1 ♀ with prey Chrysomyia marginalis Wied. ( Calliphoridae ), 1 ♀ with prey Sarcophaga ( Calliphoridae ) [AMGS]; Dewetsdorp [29.35S, 26.40E], xii.1951 (R. Howell), 1 ♂ (bearing pollinia of Apocinaceae (formerly Asclepiadaceae ) attached to most of the pulvilli) [AMGS]. KWAZULU-NATAL: Dundee [28.11S, 30.15E], 21.i.1961 (Empey), 1 ♀ [AMGS]; Oribi Gorge [30.43S, 30.16E], xi.1960, 1 ♀ [National Museum Zimbabwe]. WESTERN CAPE: Upper Sources Olifants River, Ceres [circa 33.05S, 19.14E], xii.1949 (Mus. Staff), 1 ♀, 2 ♂♂ [SAMC]; Hermanus [34.27S, 19.12E], i.1952 (Nat. Museum S. Rhodesia), 1 ♂ [SAMC ex NMBZ]; Spitzkop, Meirings Poort [32.26S, 22.34E], i.1935 (Museum Staff), 2 ♀♀ (SAMC). EASTERN CAPE: Baviaanskloof (30.39S, 24.15E), 5-9.ii.1996 (A. Weaving), 1 ♂ [AMGS]; Belmont Valley, Grahamstown [33.19S, 26.38E], 20.i.1970 (F.W. Gess), 2 ♀♀ on Foeniculum vulgare Mill. ( Apiaceae ); Belmont Valley, Grahamstown, 24.i.1970 (F.W. Gess), 1 ♀ on Foeniculum vulgare Mill. ( Apiaceae ); Belmont Valley, Grahamstown, 24.i.1970 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 8 ♀♀ on Foeniculum vulgare Mill. ( Apiaceae ); Belmont Valley, Grahamstown, 17-25.i.1970 (J.G.H. Londt), 1 ♂, 7 ♀♀ on Foeniculum vulgare Mill. ( Apiaceae ); Belmont Valley, Grahamstown, 5.ii.1970 (F.W. Gess), 2 ♀♀ on flowering lucerne ( Fabaceae : Papilionoideae ); Hilton farm [33.15S, 26.20E], Grahamstown, 6.xii.1974 (D.W. Gess), 1 ♀, 1 ♂; same locality, 11.xii.1975 (F.W. Gess), 1 ♂; same locality, 29.i.-3.ii.1976 (F.W. Gess), 1 ♀ (Malaise trap); same locality, 9.xii.1977 (D.W. Gess), 1 ♀; same locality, 20.xii.1977 (D. W. Gess), 1 ♂; same locality, 2.i.1978 (D.W. Gess), 1 ♀, 1 ♂; same locality, 12.i.1978 (D.W. Gess), 3 ♀♀; same locality, 13.i.1978 (D.W. Gess), 2 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂; same locality, 13.i.1978 (H.W. Gess), 1 ♂; same locality, 17.i.1978 (F.W. Gess), 1 ♂; same locality, 24.i.1978 (D.W. Gess), 1 ♀; same locality, 24.i.1978 (H.W. Gess), 1 ♀; same locality, 7.ii.1978 (D.W. Gess), 1 ♀; same locality, 9.ii.1978 (F.W. Gess), 7 ♀♀, 1 ♂ (1 ♀ captured at nest entrance with prey: Lomatia pulchriceps Loew, ♂, Bombyliidae ); 14.ii.1978 (F.W. Gess), 1 ♀; same locality, 16.ii.1978 (F.W. Gess), 1 ♀, 1 ♂; same locality, 23.ii.1978 (F.W. Gess), 1 ♂; same locality, 2.xii.1979 (F. W. and S.K. Gess), 1 ♂ (on yellow flowers of Senecio pterophorus DC, Asteraceae ); same locality, 7-11.xii.1979 (F.W. Gess), 1 ♂ (Malaise trap); same locality, 3.xii.1982 (F.W. and S.K. Gess), 1 ♀; same locality, 9.xii.1982 (F.W. and S.K. Gess), 1 ♀; same locality, 30.i.1986 (F.W. and S.K. Gess), 1 ♀ [all AMGS]; Coombs Valley (33.16S, 26.50E), 2.i.1976 (C. Jacot-Guillarmod), 1 ♀ [AMGS]; Paradise Kloof, Grahamstown [33.18S, 26.32E], 3.xii.1964 (D.J. Brothers), 1 ♀ [AMGS]; Port Elizabeth [30.58S, 25.37E], 7.i.1961 (B.S. Brunhuber), 2 ♀♀ [AMGS].

Geographical distribution.

Widespread from southern Zimbabwe southwards to the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa ( Fig. 2c ).

Floral associations.

Recorded from four plant families: Asteraceae ( Senecio pterophorus DC); Apiaceae ( Foeniculum vulgare Mill.); Fabaceae ( Papilionoideae , Calpurnia intrusa (R. Br. in W.T. Aiton) E. Mey and lucerne); and Apocynaceae (formerly Asclepiadaceae , determined from pollinia attached to specimen).

Nesting.

At Hilton near Grahamstown 14 nests were investigated. All were single celled, sloping burrows in friable soil. The main shaft terminated in a spur. Provisioning is progressive.

Prey.

Recorded taking 10 families of Diptera : Tabanidae , Asilidae , Muscidae , Stratiomyidae , Conopidae , Calliphoridae , Mydidae , Tachinidae , Bombyliidae , and Syrphidae .

Figures

Figure 1. Bembix spp.: a Bembix albata, female, male b Bembix albicapilla, female c Bembix albofasciata, female, male d Bembix anomalipes, female, male e Bembix arnoldi, female, male f Bembix atrospinosa, female, male. (approximate lengths of females: a 21 mm; b 18.5 mm; c 17 mm; d 19.5 mm; e 17 mm; f 19.5 mm)

Figure 2. Distributions of collection records of Bembix spp.: a Bembix albata b Bembix albicapilla c Bembix albofasciata d Bembix anomalipes e Bembix arnoldi f Bembix atrospinosa.