Catalogue of Sceliphron destillatorium (Illager, 1807) (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae) specimens deposited in the State Museum of Natural History NASU, Lviv, Ukraine

Abstract

Representatives of the genus Sceliphron Klug, 1801 are found in almost all biogeographical regions of the world (Yuan, 2022). At present, 35 species of this genus have been known (Pulawski, 2020). Of these, six species have been recorded from the territory of Ukraine as follows: three invasive species: Sceliphron caementarium (Drury, 1773); Sceliphron curvatum (Smith, 1870) and Sceliphron deforme (F. Smith, 1856) (Kletʹonkin, 2023); and three native species: Sceliphron destillatorium (Illiger, 1807); Sceliphron madraspatanum (Fabricius, 1781) and Sceliphron spirifex (Linnaeus, 1758) (Tymkiv et al., 2015). The most common is Sceliphron destillatorium (Illiger, 1807), which occurs throughout the territory of Ukraine. Representatives of the genus Sceliphron Klug, 1801 belong to two subgenera: Sceliphron and Hensenia. Although species of both subgenera take care of their offspring and feed the larvae with spiders, their nests differ in shape and number of mud cells. Wasps of the subgenus Hensenia build a certain number of single-celled mud nests in shape of jugs. Instead, wasps of the subgenus Sceliphron build cells that joint into large mud nest. S. destillatorium is the South–Palaearctic species. Its range covers the Mediterranean region (southern and south-eastern Europe, northern Africa and south-western and southern Asia) (Wisniowski et al., 2013). S. destillatorium is a solitary wasp. It belongs to the family Sphecidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) of the subgenus Sceliphron (Gülmez1 et al, 2017). S. destillatorium female builds a nests of the moist soil material, which she collects and transports herself. The nest consists of tubular cells placed side by side, the number of which varies (Chatenoud et al., 2012). After building the first cell, the female hunts spiders to feed her offspring (Pytel-Huta, 2023; Yuan, 2022). Female S. destillatorium brings the paralysed spider into the cell, lays an egg and continues to hunt. Each cell stores a certain number of spiders. The number depends on the size of the victims and the sex of the future generation. Once the cells have been built, the female S. destillatorium covers them with an additional layer of soil (Polidori, 2005). In the wild, females build their nests in shady, sheltered places (rock ledges, empty tree trunks, etc.). However, at present, they are increasingly nesting in people's houses (usually under roofs, attics, etc.) (Yuan, 2022). Adult wasps feed on angiosperm nectar. The collection of the State Museum of Natural History, National Academy of Sciences in Lviv contains 14 specimens of this species collected in the western part of Ukraine and one specimen collected in the central part. A few samples (4) of this species were collected in 1922, 1923 and 1926, collector – J. Noskiewicz. The date and place of collection of the remaining specimens are unknown. All data have been entered into the web resource Data Centre “Biodiversity of Ukraine” http://dc.smnh.org/.