Episyron gallicum
{{Short description|Species of wasp}}
{{italic title}}{{Speciesbox
| name = Episyron gallicum
| taxon = Episyron gallicum
| authority = Tournier, 1889 {{Cite web |url=http://ecat-dev.gbif.org/usage/103055530 |title = Fauna Europaea - Episyron gallicum (Tournier, 1889) |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709055026/http://ecat-dev.gbif.org/usage/103055530 |archive-date=9 July 2012 |url-status=dead}}
| synonyms = *Episyron intermedius Haupt, 1930
- Episyron tertius Bluthgen, 1944
- Pompilus gallicum Tournier, 1889
}}
Episyron gallicum is a spider-eating wasp which, as its name suggests, has a distribution centred on France.
Habits
It hunts terrestrial spiders which hunt their prey such as Wolf spiders as opposed to web weaving spiders. The spider is paralysed with a sting and then the helpless spider is sealed in a tunnel and the wasp lays an egg on it. The grub dines on the living spider when it hatches.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1518073/French-wasp-flies-in-to-eat-our-spiders.html|title=French wasp flies in to eat our spiders|author=Roger Highfield |date=11 May 2006|work=Telegraph.co.uk}}
Habitat
Distribution
Southern Europe but has recently expanded its range into Poland, Germany and the United Kingdom.
References
External links
- [http://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Taxbrowser_Taxonpage?taxid=311837 Images representing Episyron gallicum] at Barcodes of Life
{{Taxonbar|from=Q5383648}}
Category:Hymenoptera of Europe
Category:Insects described in 1889
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