Nitela Latreille, 1809

Li, Chengfang, Li, Qiang & Ma, Li, 2025, Six new species of the genus Nitela Latreille (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) from China, with a key to the Oriental species, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 98, pp. 871-896 : 871-896

Genus Nitela Latreille, 1809

Nitela Latreille, 1809: 77. Type species: Nitela spinolae Latreille, 1809, by monotypy.

Tenila Brèthes, 1913: 153. Type species: Nitela amazonica Ducke, 1903, by original designation.

Rhinonitela Williams, 1928: 97. Type species: Rhinonitela domestica Williams, 1928, by original designation.

Diagnosis.

Inner orbits of compound eyes converging dorsally toward midline. In some species, frons bordered by carina along inner orbit. Outer ventral margin of mandible complete, mandibular socket closed. Median lobe of clypeus conspicuously raised from base to apex, with complete midclypeal carina that often connects to longitudinal carina of frons. Anterior margin of clypeus truncate or slightly emarginate medially, typically with smooth triangular area medially. Pronotum relatively long. Mesoscutum usually with carinae. Mesopleuron with hypersternaulus. Propodeum elongate, without bounding sulcus, often with longitudinal striae or reticulate sculpture. Forewing with one submarginal cell and one discoidal cell. Hindwing with jugal lobe, without closed cells. Metasoma without petiole ( Bohart and Menke 1976).

Biology.

Nitela Latreille, 1809 , are predatory wasps that primarily hunt psocid (Psocoptera) larvae and also occasionally prey on aphids ( Vincens 1910) and psyllids ( Maneval 1929). During the provisioning period, the females paralyze their prey, grasp the base of the prey’s antennae with their mandibles, and then transport it in flight to their nest, securing it beneath their body with their legs. Nitela typically nest in ready-made cavities, such as holes in wood, hollow stems, or plant stalks. Some females utilize beetle burrows in timber, hollow plant stems, or galls formed by cynipid wasps. The nest consists of one or more linearly arranged cells, with up to six cells reported. The partitions between cells are constructed from externally collected plant and mineral particles. The nest entrance is sealed with materials such as wood fragments, pebbles, sand, soil particles, leaf or stem fragments, and resin. Each cell contains 6–40 prey. The egg is laid on the ventral side of the last provisioned prey, between the coxae of the fore and middle legs ( Ahrens 1949; Kazenas 2001).

Distribution.

Widely distributed over the world.