Body Size Relationship between Sphecius Speciosus (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) and Their Prey: Prey Size Determines Wasp Size
Hastings JM, Holliday CW, Coelho JR. 2008. Body Size Relationship between Sphecius Speciosus (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) and Their Prey: Prey Size Determines Wasp Size. Florida Entomologist. 91(4):657-663
Previous studies reported that female cicada killers (Sphecius speciosus) provide each male offspring with 1 or rarely 2 cicadas, and each female offspring with 2 or rarely 3 cicadas, regardless of cicada size. Researchers collected samples of male and female cicada killers and their cicada prey from 12 locations (including Big Bend National Park, TX) in 10 different states. Measurements of right forewing length of the wasps and dry body mass of the cicadas were assessed as indicators of size. Use of regression analysis, with local mean cicada mass as the independent variable and local mean wasp wing length as the dependent variable, suggested that the size of available cicada prey is a good predictor of size for both male and female S. speciosus.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Hastings, Jon; Holliday, Charles; Coelho, Joseph
- Units
- BIBE
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, body size variation, cicada, cicada killer, Hymenoptera, Insect, mass-provisioning, Sphecius speciosus, Terrestrial Invertebrates, WASP