Researchers Discover 16 New Species of Parasitic Bees in Vietnam and Their Unique Egg-Laying Behavior.
Scientists from Kyushu University (Japan) and the Vietnam National Museum of Nature have identified 16 previously unknown species of parasitic bees in the Loboscelidia group, according to Scitech Daily.
16 new species of parasitic bees in Vietnam have been added to the Loboscelidia group based on their unique physical characteristics – (Photo: KYUSHU UNIVERSITY).
This group of parasites is noted for their unusual appearance and difficulty in capture. They are typically very small, measuring between 2 to 5mm in body length (smaller than a pencil eraser).
This discovery has increased the number of known Loboscelidia species by 30%, bringing the global total to 67 species.
The findings have been published in the European Journal of Taxonomy.
Although often overlooked by humans, Loboscelidia parasitic bees play a crucial role in regulating ecosystems.
Dr. Yu Hisasue and Dr. Toshiharu Mita (from the Faculty of Agriculture at Kyushu University), along with Dr. Pham Hong Thai (Vietnam National Museum of Nature), conducted field surveys at six locations across Vietnam, setting traps and using nets to catch these tiny parasitic bees.
On one occasion, they captured a live female of one of the newly described species, Loboscelidia squamosa. They placed the female in a plastic container with soil and introduced an insect egg. The female pierced the egg, laid her own egg inside, and then searched for a location to bury her parasitic egg. She used her head to dig a hole, placed the egg inside, and covered it with soil.
“Loboscelidia was first discovered about 150 years ago, but we still lack important knowledge about their biology. This study is the first time we have been able to observe their parasitic behavior,” Dr. Yu Hisasue stated.
The Parasitic Behavior of Loboscelidia resembles the nesting behavior seen in solitary hunting wasps. Therefore, researchers believe that further studies could help clarify how these behaviors develop in other wasp species.
