Speaker: Greg B. Palmer
Candidate for Bachelor of Science in Biology
Time: 5:45 PM
Place: Trustee Hall 117
Supervisor: Dr. Allan Hook
Title: Nesting Biology of Bembecinus neglectus (Hymenoptera: Bembecinae)

Abstract: The nesting behavior of Bembecinus neglectus was studied this past summer in Pedernales Falls State Park, Blanco Co., Texas. Previously this sand wasp hand only been studied in Kansas. In Texas, wasps nested in sandy areas along the river, and typically nests contained a single cell. Wasps progressively provisioned with homopteran prey, specifically the families: Cicadellidae, Acanaloniidae, and Issidae. Cocoons were collected for analysis of structure and for rearing parasites. Two new records of parasites were obtained from cocoon rearings, a mutillid wasp and a bombyliid fly. Wasps nested in dense aggregations (long enough to finish one nest) and then the aggregation would move to another site. This is very unusual for sand wasps, but has been reported for other Bembecinus species.