susan_kielb's Favorites

A rearing saga here... Out of 6 collected, 2 pupated and one successfully eclosed. The Group Observation Field contains multiple individuals from multiple sites.

Habitat for all is from stem galls in Humulus lupulus vines in alder swamps along shrubby and wooded stream corridors. Initially collected two individuals on 6/10. They were very picky about accepting an alternative food source. One of these died. I replaced with two others collected from stem galls on 7/4, both of which died (one had several wasp larvae emerge and pupate on 7/28). Then I replaced with one from a stem gall collected on 7/15 but that one turned black and died before pupating as well. On 8/3 I collected a final individual still in the gall (all other galls found empty at this date). On 7/24 one the remaining initial larva pupated. On 8/11 the late 8/3 larva pupated. On 8/21 the initial larva eclosed. Late at night on 9/5 the late larva began to eclose but did not successfully emerge from the pupa, coming part-way out but never fully emerging or forming (still clearly identifiable as a circumlucens adult). All observations after the initial wild observation of an individual marked captive/casual and can be found in the Observation Group field.

This was the definitely the most trouble I've had rearing any Papaipema species. Larvae were generally uninterested in potato or carrot, and even when leaving them in the original host stem they did not seem to feed.

Collected and reared from Angelica atropurpurea stems in wet prairie. Collected three individuals on 6/12 from roots and stems. Also present in root one one plant was a Eupsilia sp. (which escaped during attempted rearing). Reared in replenished Angelica stems. One did not survive. First pupated in stem on Pupated around 7/16, the second pupated out of stem on 7/26. One individual eclosed night of 8/13, the other on night of 8/21. Both subsequently released. All observations after the initial wild observation marked captive/casual and can be found in the Observation Group field.