Wasps of Sicily
A photographic journey in Sicily.
Text and photos by Gian Luca Agnoli.
In late May 2009 I had the opportunity to visit some incredible coastal biotopes of Sicily, together with Paolo Rosa and Marcello Romano, our wise and generous guide. Here are some of the most interesting pictures I've taken during our entomological campaigns.
Camera: Canon EOS 40D; lens: Canon EF 100/2.8 USM Macro; flash: Canon MR-14EX.
Hymenoptera Chrysididae
Chrysis elegans, Chrysis integra sicula, Chrysis perezi and many more species:
Hymenoptera Megachilidae
Rhodanthidium sticticum (F.) female defending the snail shell used as nest against another specimen belonging to the same species. The aggressive behaviour is clearly visible, with open mandibles and antennae and legs directed against the aggressor.
Hymenoptera Vespidae Eumeninae
Tropidodynerus flavus (Lepeletier 1841) with a paralysed Curculionid larva. As reported by W. Arens (1999)* for the species T. interruptus (Br.), the nest is a vertical tunnel dug by the female in the solid soil, temporarily closed with soil clods during the provisioning of the nest.
* Arens W., 1999 - Zum Verhalten von Tropidodynerus interruptus (BRÜLLE 1832) (Vespoidea, Eumenidae) und seines Brutparasiten Chrysis jaxartis SEM. am Nest. Linzer biol. Beitr., 31/1: 147-158.
In the sequence you can see the Eumenine female first removing the soil clods that hide the nest's entrance, then taking the paralyzed Curculionid larva with the mandibles and introducing it into the nest; then, closing the opening again before flying away. Some females of Chrysis perezi Mocsáry, 1889 were observed around the nests of the Eumenine wasp, thus considered its probable cleptoparasite.
Hymenoptera Mutillidae, Scoliidae, Pompilidae, Sphecidae
And many other interesting wasps of the genus Ronisia, Stenomutilla, Megascolia, Cryptocheilus, etc.
Copyright, Authorship, and Ownership statements
All text and images of this page are copyright ©️ Chrysis.net unless otherwise stated - please see individual cases for authorship and copyright details. The specimens pictured are from the authors' or other collaborators' personal collections and from the collections of various museums. Unless otherwise specified, the whole content of this web site is for personal, non-commercial, scientific, and educational purposes given proper accreditation to the page from which they were derived are provided, and under Chrysis.net Terms and Conditions.
For citation purposes
Agnoli G.L. & Rosa P. (2025) Search Results , in: Chrysis.net website. Interim version 29 April 2025, URL: https://www.chrysis.net/search/%252525E7%25252583%252525AD%252525E8%252525A1%25252580%252525E9%252525AB%25252598%252525E6%252525A0%252525A11~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~3%252525E7%25252599%252525BE%252525E5%252525BA%252525A6%252525E7%252525BD%25252591%252525E7%2525259B%25252598nvq0t-%252525E3%25252580%25252590%252525E2%2525259C%25252594%252525EF%252525B8%2525258F%252525E6%2525258E%252525A8%252525E8%2525258D%25252590BB76%252525C2%252525B7CC%252525E2%2525259C%25252594%252525EF%252525B8%2525258F%252525E3%25252580%25252591-%252525E5%25252585%252525AB%252525E4%252525B8%252525AA%252525E8%2525259D%252525B4%252525E8%2525259D%252525B6%252525E5%25252585%252525AC%252525E4%252525B8%252525BB%252525E6%25252595%25252585%252525E4%252525BA%2525258Bw2t0-%252525E7%25252583%252525AD%252525E8%252525A1%25252580%252525E9%252525AB%25252598%252525E6%252525A0%252525A11~3%252525E7%25252599%252525BE%252525E5%252525BA%252525A6%252525E7%252525BD%25252591%252525E7%2525259B%25252598yut6s-%252525E5%25252585%252525AB%252525E4%252525B8%252525AA%252525E8%2525259D%252525B4%252525E8%2525259D%252525B6%252525E5%25252585%252525AC%252525E4%252525B8%252525BB%252525E6%25252595%25252585%252525E4%252525BA%2525258B3oas/page/5.
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![Hedychrum rutilans by Yvan Barbier
Belgium, province of Hainaut, summer 2004.. Nikon D100, Nikon Micro Nikkor 105/2.8, ring flash Nikon SB-29s. Exposure time: 1/125 sec, f/32, Center Weighted Average metering..
The specimen is on a flower of Epilobium angustifolium. Read the Author's "Guide pratique de photographie macro avec les Nikons Digital Single Lens Reflex" [in French]..](https://www.chrysis.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Yvan_Barbier_01.jpg "Hedychrum rutilans on a flower of Epilobium angustifolium, Belgium, province of Hainaut, summer 2004, by Yvan Barbier")
Minelli A., Ruffo S., La Posta S. (eds)
Witt, R.
click images to enlarge:
Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio
Peeters, T.M.J. , Achterberg, C. van , Heitmans, W.R.B.
This book gives a general account of the current knowledge of the ecology, behaviour, evolutionary history, diversity, threats and conservation aspects of this group, as well as an identification key to all families and genera. Very useful data on the taxonomy, faunal status, distribution and ecology are provided for each species and genus.
Paolo Rosa
