Ogol I.N. 2023. [Biology and behaviour of the parasitic wasp Latibulus argiolus (Rossi) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), the parasitoid of Polistes wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Polistes). II. Life cycle under the urban conditions of Donetsk] // Euroasian Entomological Journal. Vol.22. No.2: 59–69 [in Russian, with English summary].
Donetsk national university, Faculty of biology, Shchors Str. 46, Donetsk 283050. E-mail: ylyaogol@mail.ru
doi 10.15298/euroasentj.22.02.01
ABSTRACT. Biology of the parasitic wasp Latibulus argiolus (Rossi) occurring in Donetsk city is observed. This parasitoid infested three Vespidae wasp species, Polistes gallicus (Linnaeus, 1767), Polistes dominula (Christ, 1791) and Polistes nimpha (Christ, 1791). After emerging from the egg, the larva of the parasitoid searches for the larva of the Polistes wasp as a host; here it establishes itself between anal edge of the host larva and the bottom of the nest where it remains until pupation of the host larva. The parasitoid feeds on the pupa until the instar stage is reached, and almost completely eats the host body. Afterwards, L. argiolus larva weaves a cocoon under the cover of the host pupa cocoon. It was found that seasonal polymorphism and the life cycle of L. argiolus are similar to L. hokkaidensis [Makino, 1983], but differs in its three generations per year including one spring morph and two summer morphs. Integration of the most vulnerable periods of life cycle with host species, namely: egg-laying, eruption from egg and migration of larva. Imago emergence of the summer morph occurs during a dark period of the day when the host imago inactive; this is one of the most important parasitism adaptations of L. argiolus in the nest of the Polistes wasp. Polistes countermeasures against L. argiolus invasion involve the banishment of the parasite imago and annihilation of larvae before they start to weave a cocoon. No impact by the host species on the parasitoid in the nest was observed.
KEY WORDS: Parasitoid, behavior, ontogenesis, life cycle, phenology, Polistes, Latibulus, Cryptini.