See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/312525668

Grass-carrying wasp, Isodontia mexicana (de

Saussure), genus and species new to Britain
(Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

Article  in  British Journal of Entomology & Natural History · January 2017

CITATIONS READS
7 2,044

1 author:

David G. Notton
National Museums Scotland
133 PUBLICATIONS   361 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Changing Coleoptera and Hemiptera fauna of the British Isles View project

Hymenoptera fauna of Britain and Ireland View project

All content following this page was uploaded by David G. Notton on 19 January 2017.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 29: 2016 241

GRASS-CARRYING WASP, ISODONTIA MEXICANA

(DE SAUSSURE), GENUS AND SPECIES NEW TO BRITAIN
(HYMENOPTERA: SPHECIDAE)
DAVID G. NOTTON
Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD,
United Kingdom. d.notton@nhm.ac.uk

ABSTRACT
Grass-Carrying Wasp, Isodontia mexicana (de Saussure), is recorded as new to
Britain. Morphological characters are given, and illustrated, to establish its identity
and a key is provided to distinguish it from other British Sphecidae. Notes are
provided on bionomics, the circumstances of its arrival and its status in Britain.

INTRODUCTION
Knowledge of the composition of the British Hymenoptera fauna is essential for
the purposes of biological studies requiring accurate identifications, and their
applications, including conservation of native species and the monitoring of faunal
change and non-native invasives. There are many species of aculeate wasps and, even
though the fauna is relatively well known, taxa new for Britain are regularly
discovered (Notton et al., 2014; Notton, Tang & Day, 2016). This paper records the
Grass-Carrying Wasp, Isodontia mexicana (de Saussure) as new to Britain, based on
a specimen collected in London and recently acquired by the Natural History
Museum, London. Brief notes are provided on identification, material examined,
distribution and biology. A key is provided to distinguish it from other British
Sphecidae. Notes are provided on bionomics, the circumstances of its arrival and its
status in Britain.

METHODS
The specimen was collected during a survey of aculeates at the Greenwich
Peninsula Ecology Park by hand netting, and the voucher specimen deposited in the
collection of the Natural History Museum, London (NHMUK). The associated
nectar plant was identified using Stace (2010). An unsuccessful search was made for
nests in the immediate area. Imaging was undertaken using a Canon EOS 450D
digital camera connected to a Zeiss Stemi SV11 stereomicroscope; images were
processed with Helicon Focus image stacking software.

RESULTS
Isodontia Patton, 1880
Isodontia mexicana (de Saussure, 1867)
Figs. 1–6

Identification
This wasp could not be identified using the most recent key to the British
Sphecidae (Richards, 1980) and was evidently not included in that work, nor did it
agree with specimens of any of the previously known British species of Sphecidae in
the NHMUK collection, as listed in the recent British and Irish checklist (Else,
Bolton & Broad, 2016). Using a key for the north west European fauna (Bitsch et al.,
242 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 29: 2016

1997) it keyed easily to Isodontia mexicana. This was confirmed by comparison with
specimens in the NHMUK collection, including a specimen from France determined
by K.M.Guichard.
Among the British sphecid fauna, Isodontia mexicana is immediately distinguished
by its uniform black colour (Fig. 1), as the four previously recorded British species of
Ammophila and Podalonia have the anterior gaster substantially red, and the recently
reported, although not formally recorded, species of Sceliphron is/are black with
yellow markings. The following key is translated and adapted from Bitsch et al.
(1997) and provides a technical separation of the four genera. British species of
Podalonia and Ammophila are keyed by Richards (1980); Sceliphron is included in
the key because of specimens reported from Britain informally on social media, e.g.
Tony Conway via UK Bees, Wasps and Ants Facebook page, but the species is/are
not confirmed by voucher material and not yet formally published.

Key to genera of British Sphecidae

1 First recurrent vein entering the second submarginal cell, the second recurrent
vein entering the third submarginal cell (Fig. 2); body all black . . . Isodontia
– First and second recurrent veins entering the second submarginal cell; body
black and red, or black and yellow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2 Last antennal segment conical; basal gaster not red; claws of tarsi one and two
almost always with a small tooth in the middle of the internal margin; female
tarsus one without a comb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sceliphron
– Last antennal segment apically truncate; basal gaster red; claws of tarsi one and
two sometimes with one or two basal teeth; female tarsus one with a comb . . 3
3 Gastral tergite one more or less expanded, wider, forming a marked angle with
the petiole (i.e. sternite one); spiracle of tergite one in front of the apex of
sternite one . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Podalonia
– Gastral tergite one elongate, narrow, not much raised above the petiole; spiracle
of tergite one at or behind the apex of sternite one . . . . . . . . . . . . Ammophila
There are no other Isodontia previously reported from Britain. I. mexicana differs
from the other two Isodontia species reported from north west Europe by Bitsch et al.
(1997) as follows: gaster all black; dorsal propodeal area finely punctured and
chagrined but with at most only a trace of transverse striation (Fig. 3); petiole
strongly curved in profile, as long or longer than tibia one (Fig. 4); gaster without
bands of pale hairs; clypeus and lower frons with the long erect hairs black (Fig. 5);
anterior clypeal margin of female with a small deep median emargination bounded
by a tooth on each side (Fig. 6); wings smoky, darker along apical margin; male
antenna without clearly defined placoids.
The vernacular name Grass-Carrying Wasp is already in wide use for this species.

Material seen
UK: London: Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park: TQ400792 (51.49448N 0.01538E):
Z: 16.viii.2016: at flowers of Lycopus europaeus: D. G. Notton, NHMUK010264963.
FRANCE: Gard: Uzés: Z: 8.vii.2000: D. W. Baldock, NHMUK010264964.

Distribution
So far I. mexicana has only been found at one site in Britain, the Greenwich
Peninsula Ecology Park. Isodontia mexicana originated in the Americas where it is
known from the United States, Mexico and Central America. It was apparently
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 29: 2016 243

1 4

2 5

3 6

Figs. 1–6. Isodontia mexicana Z NHMUK010264963. 1. Habitus, dorsal; 2. Right fore wing,
disc; 3. Propodeum, dorsal; 4. Petiole, lateral; 5. Head, lateral; 6. Clypeal margin (white line
added to indicate shape of margin). All scale bars 1 mm.

accidentally imported into Hawaii c. 1940 and southern France c. 1960 from where it
has spread widely throughout Europe (Bitsch et al., 1997). The nearest European
records currently are from the Netherlands (Pulawski, 2016), Belgium, and northern
France (Barbier, undated).

Habitat
Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park is situated within the former gasworks site on
Greenwich Peninsula. The site totals 1.72 ha in size and comprises artificial lakes and
wildlife habitat, as well as a building and supporting access infrastructure. The
Ecology Park was created from contaminated brownfield as part of the early phases
of decontamination and regeneration of the Greenwich Peninsula to recreate and
244 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 29: 2016

re-establish elements of the Peninsula’s original marshland heritage. Since its

creation in 1998/99, the Ecology Park has matured and has become home to a
thriving wildlife community, with nectar plants for insects and artificial nest tubes for
hole nesting aculeate bees and wasps (Notton, Tang & Day, 2016).

Bionomics
The biology of Isodontia mexicana has been well studied both in America and
Europe. It is a cavity nester, provisioning its nests with prey belonging to a wide
variety of species of Gryllidae and Tettigoniidae, including some genera found in
Britain, i.e, Metrioptera and Conocephalus species. Nests are made in natural cavities
such as plant stems, or in man-made cavities in buildings, especially around window
units. The nest partitions and nest closure plug are made of dried grass blades which
give the wasp its vernacular name. The nests are sometimes obvious because the grass
of the nest closure plug can form a protruding tuft (Bitsch et al., 1997). Bamboo nest
tubes had been provided for hole nesting aculeates at Greenwich Peninsula Ecology
Park, these were checked but no Isodontia nests were found.

Status
Isodontia mexicana is a large conspicuous wasp both in appearance and habits,
and it is unlikely it could have existed in Britain long without detection. It was not
noticed in two recent entomological surveys of Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park:
an unpublished list of bees and other Hymenoptera recorded during 2009 prepared
by Thomas C. Ings, Anglia Ruskin University (pers. comm.); and a survey report
covering all insects, including bees (Colin Plant Associates, 2015), so is most
probably a recent arrival. There is no evidence to suggest how it might have reached
Britain, although it is a cavity nester and as for other cavity-nesting Hymenoptera, it
is likely that it could have been moved about by people if it had nested in cavities in
vehicles or freight. It is not certain whether it has bred in Britain yet but based on its
rapid spread throughout Europe since 1960 it is an adaptable colonist, and may be
expected to appear again and go on to colonise some parts of Britain. The occurrence
of this wasp in Britain has been notified to the GB Non-Native Species Secretariat
less than a week after its discovery; however there is currently no evidence currently
to suggest that it poses any threat to native fauna and flora.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks are due to The Land Trust (The Land Trust, 2016) for permission to
collect at Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park, Anthony R. Day, The Conservation
Volunteers (The Conservation Volunteers, 2016) and loyal friends of the Park who
manage the habitats for invertebrates and Theresa Howard (Collections Manager for
Entomology, NHMUK).

REFERENCES
Barbier, Y. Undated. Atlas Hymenoptera: Isodontia Patton. University of Mons. http://zoologie.
umons.ac.be/hymenoptera/page.asp?ID=6&search=isodontia&marked=36Nanc_36, accessed
21/8/2016.
Bitsch, J., Barbier, Y., Gayubo, S. F., Schmidt, K., & Ohl, M. 1997. Faune de France. France et
re´gions limitrophes. 82. Hyménoptères Sphecidae d’Europe occidentale. Volume 2.
Fédération Française des Sociétés de Sciences Naturelles, Paris. 429 pp. http://
www.faunedefrance.org/bibliotheque/docs/J.BITCH&al(FdeFr82)Hym.SphecidaeV2.pdf.
BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 29: 2016 245

Colin Plant Associates. 2015. Greenwich Ecology Park assessment of potential effects of shading
on invertebrate ecology. Report number BS/2962/15, Colin Plant Associates, Bishops
Stortford / Ramboll Environ, London, 47 pp.
Else, G. R., Bolton, B. & Broad, G. R. 2016. Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera –
aculeates (Apoidea, Chrysidoidea and Vespoidea). Biodiversity Data Journal 4(e8050): 1–188.
doi: 10.3897/BDJ.4.e8050.
Notton, D. G., Popovici, O. A., Van Achterberg, C., De Rond, J. & Burn, J. T. 2014. Parasitoid
wasps new to Britain (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae, Eurytomidae, Braconidae &
Bethylidae). European Journal of Taxonomy 99: 1–20. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5852/
ejt.2014.99.
Notton, D. G., Tang, C. Q. & Day, A. R. 2016. Viper’s Bugloss Mason Bee, Hoplitis (Hoplitis)
adunca, new to Britain (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae, Megachilinae, Osmiini). British
Journal of Entomology and Natural History 29: 134–143.
Pulawski, W. 2016 Isodontia. Pdf. 23 pp. Last updated: 8 June 20. http://researcharchive.
calacademy.org/research/entomology/entomology_resources/hymenoptera/sphecidae/genera/
Isodontia.pdf [viewed 21 August 2016].
Richards, O. W. 1980. Scolioidea, Vespoidea and Sphecoidea. Hymenoptera, Aculeata.
Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects 6, part 3 (b), 1–118. http://www.
royensoc.co.uk/sites/default/files/Vol06_Part03b_Richards.pdf.
Stace, C. A. 2010. New flora of the British Isles. 3rd ed., Cambridge, Cambridge University
Press, p. xxxii, 1232.
The Conservation Volunteers. 2016. TCV – The Conservation Volunteers – Join in, feel good.
http://www.tcv.org.uk, accessed 12/6/2016.
The Land Trust. 2016. The Land Trust, http://www.thelandtrust.org.uk, accessed 12 June 2016.

SHORT COMMUNICATIONS
Obolodiplosis robiniae (Haldeman) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on False-acacia cv
Frisia. – In Badmin (2011) it was hypothesised that the lack of galled leaves caused
by the midge O. robiniae on the rich golden-yellow form of False-acacia Robinia
pseudoacacia cv Frisia might be due to differences in cultivar susceptibility, the insect
preferring more standard green-leaved varieties. The golden cultivar is planted far
less frequently than the type in southern England and in my experience does not/is
not allowed to sucker or set seed compared to parental stock. It occurs as singletons,
primarily scattered in an urban landscape. I have tried to inspect all the specimens of
cv Frisia I encounter to increase sample size, but the lower branches have invariably
been trimmed and any leaves left far out of reach. The main problem, however,
seems to be that gardeners, having forked out a large sum of money for the cultivar,
tend to plant it closer to the house than other forms making casual inspection from
the road or pavement virtually impossible. This year I was delighted to find leaves
(more correctly, leaflets) of a mature Frisia tree infested with O. robiniae larvae in
Salutation Gardens, Sandwich TR332582 on 24.ix.16 and a shrubby specimen at
Chartham, Kent TR007552 on 26.ix.16. It may well be that the apparent low
frequency of the midge infesting the golden form of Robinia owes as much to the
plant’s rarity as to any error in sampling. It is also likely that this recently introduced
species has become more widely established in the intervening period. – JOHN BADMIN,
Coppice Place, Perry Wood, Selling, Kent ME13 9RP.

REFERENCE
Badmin, J. S. 2011. Obolodiplosis robiniae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) now established in Kent.
British Journal of Entomology and Natural History 26: 30–32.

View publication stats