Leiophron deficiens (Ruthe, 1856)

Verheyde, Fons, Jacobs, JEffrEY, Dekoninck, WOUTEr, Achterberg, Kees Van, Rond, JErOEn, Blanck, Tim De, Schoonvaere, KarEL, Nieuwenhuijsen, Hans, Ketelaere, Augustijn De, Minnebo, BarT & Ferrer-Suay, Mar, 2023, Remarks on Hymenoptera on urban green roofs in Belgium, Belgian Journal of Entomology 140, pp. 1-37 : 24-25

Leiophron deficiens (Ruthe, 1856) - Belg. sp. nov.

( Fig. 9 )

BELGIUM: • 1 ♀; N51.193° E4.417°; v/2020; J. Jacobs leg.; coll. FV; pan trap (blue); J. Stigenberg & F. Verheyde det. • 1 ♀; N51.125° E4.260°; vi/2020; J. Jacobs leg.; coll. RMNH ( Arise ); pitfall trap; F. Verheyde • 1 ♀; N51.193° E4.417°; vi/2020; J. Jacobs leg.; coll. RMNH ( Arise ); pitfall trap; F. Verheyde • 4 ex.; N51.194° E4.439°; viii/2020; J. Jacobs leg.; coll. RMNH ( Arise ); pitfall trap; F. Verheyde • 3 ex.; N51.199° E4.459°; v/2021; J. Jacobs leg.; coll. ADK; pitfall trap; F. Verheyde • 2 ♀♀; N51.205° E4.399°; vi/2021; J. Jacobs leg.; coll. KVA; pitfall trap; K. van Achterberg • 2 ex.; N51.184° E4.420°; vi/2021; J. Jacobs leg.; coll. ADK; pitfall trap; F. Verheyde • 1 ♀; N51.184° E4.419°; vi/2021; J. Jacobs leg.; coll. KVA; pan trap (yellow); K. van Achterberg det. • 1 ♀; N51.193° E4.417°; vi/2021; J. Jacobs leg.; coll. KVA; pan trap (red); K. van Achterberg det. • 1 ♂; N51.130° E4.253°; ix/2021; J. Jacobs leg.; coll. ADK; pitfall trap; F. Verheyde det. • 1 ♀; N51.135° E4.241°; ix/2021; J. Jacobs leg.; coll. ADK; pitfall trap; F. Verheyde det. [11 occ. (2 years), 9 roofs]

A very small but very common species on the green roofs (see Discussion). The genus Leiophron is closely related to the genus Peristenus , of which we also encountered a species on the roofs (see below). L. deficiens has a yellowish body (although colors may vary) and subhyaline wings with reduced wing venation. Its scapus is short and at most two times as long as broad ( STIGENBERG & VAN ACHTERBERG, 2015).

Hosts are Miridae . A detailed inventory of these has happened ( JACOBS et al., 2023, forthcoming) on the roofs and therefore we are able to make a good assessment on the plausible (unreported) hosts. Two mirid bugs were absolutely dominant on the green roofs and were found on eight of the nine roofs where L. deficiens was also caught: Chlamydatus evanescens (Boheman, 1852) and C. pullus (Reuter, 1870) . There is a third less likely candidate (there are Lygidae associated with Leiophron spp. , but more rarely): Nysius huttoni F.B. White, 1878 . Interestingly, all these heteropterans are bivoltine, which helps explaining the diverse phenology of L. deficiens in our country, from May to September, which is in contrast to STIGENBERG & VAN ACHTERBERG 2015 mentioning August-October as flight period).

Figures

Fig. 9. Leiophron deficiens (Ruthe, 1856); OCMW Arena (May 2021). © Bart Minnebo.