Hoplismenus terrificus Wesmael, 1848

Verheyde, Fons, Hoekstra, Paul, Libert, Pierre-Nicolas, Meijer, Hilco, Ketelaere, Augustijn De, Vandaudenard, Thibaud, Belgers, Dick & Brosens, Edwin, 1880, Two hundred and five ichneumonid wasps reported for the first time in Belgium and the Netherlands (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), Belgian Journal of Entomology 122, pp. 1-142 : 74

Hoplismenus terrificus Wesmael, 1848

Another genus which can be identified without difficulties. Hoplismenus spp. have two strongly developed dentiparal spines on their propodeum and a strongly elevated scutellum. Their antennae are slender, their mandibles are strongly twisted apically, and the ovipositor is distinctly exserted ( PERKINS, 1960).

The females of H. terrificus are very distinctive. Their mesosoma and metasoma are completely black, the front legs and the hind femora are reddish, the hind tibiae are black with white tarsi. All coxae and trochanters are black as well. The antennae are black, with a small white ring on females. Lastly, the notauli go far beyond the base of the tegulae, and its mesopleuron is roughly wrinkled ( RASNITSYN & SIITAN, 1981). H. terrificus is a known parasitoid wasp of numerous lepidopterans (e.g. Aglais io) ( Lepidoptera : Nymphalidae ). Several specimens were found hibernating under bark (VERHEYDE, in prep.).

First report for the Netherlands; confirmed in Belgium.

MATERIAL EXAMINED:

BELGIUM: • 1 ♀; Linkebeek (VB); 50°46’16”N 4°20’10”E; 12/ix/2019; K. Schoonvaere leg.; field observation; F. Verheyde det. (ObsID: 179469629). • 1 ♀; Parike, Parike bos (OVL) ; 50°46’52”N 3°47’52”E; 8/xii/2019; W. Decock leg.; field observation, hibernating on Populus sp. ; F. Verheyde det. (ObsID: 182980199). • 1 ♀; Zemst, Bos van Aa (VB) ; 50°59’27”N 4°23’14”E; 7/iii/2020; D. De Grave leg.; field observation; F. Verheyde det. (ObsID: 186247767). • 1 ♀; Kortessem, Nietelbroeken ( LIB); 50°52’45”N 5°22’22”E; 19/v/2020; W. Smets leg.; field observation; F. Verheyde det. (ObsID: 191781020). • 1 ♀; Erpe-Mere, Wachtbekken (OVL); 50°55’42”N 3°58’20”E; 14/vi/2020; G. Van Heghe leg.; field observation; F. Verheyde det. (ObsID: 194044633) […].

THE NETHERLANDS: • 1 ♀; Venray (LIN); 51°31’30”N 5°54’35”E; 4/ii/2017; L. Troisfontaine leg.; field observation, hibernating on Pinus sp. ; G. Ørsnes & F. Verheyde det. (ObsID: 134312125) . • 1 ♀; Wassenaar , Meijendel – Ganzenhoek (ZH); 52°09’40”N 4°21’07”E; 21/ii/2019; C. Zuyderduyn leg.; field observation, hibernating on Pinus nigra ; F. Verheyde det. (ObsID: 167805046) . • 1 ♀; Zwolle , Westerveldse Bos (OR) ; 52°32’46”N 6°05’02”E; 25/v/2019; M. Kelfkens leg.; field observation; F. Verheyde det. (ObsID: 173115078) .