Bembix ulula Arnold, 1929

Gess, Friedrich W. & Gess, Sarah K., 2014, Geographical distributions of Bembix (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae, Bembicinae) in southern Africa, with notes on biology, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 36, pp. 53-130 : 98

Bembix ulula Arnold Fig. 15b

Bembex ulula Arnold, 1929: 330, figs 2, 2a, 2b, Pl.VI, figs 3, 43, ♂, ♀ (flower visiting), (Syntypes, Southern Rhodesia [Zimbabwe], Gwaai, in SAMC ex NMBZ and Zimbabwe, in SAMC) (in revision of southern African Sphecidae ); Arnold 1930: 21 (in checklist of Afrotropical Sphecidae ); Arnold 1935: 503 (Botswana);

Bembix ulula Arnold, Bohart and Menke 1976: 549 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Gess 1986 (justification of synonymy with Bembix junodi ): 147; Pulawski 2013: 90 (in catalogue of world Sphecidae sensu lato).

Bembix Junodi Arnold, 1929: 379, figs 42, 42a, 42b, 42c, Pl. VI, fig 45, ♂ (Holotype, ♂, Mozambique, Lourenço Marques (now Maputo), in TMSA) (in revision of southern African Sphecidae ); Gess 1986: 147 (synonymized with Bembix ulula ).

Material examined.

ZIMBABWE: W. Matetsi [18.15S, 25.55E], iv.1934 (R.H.R. Stevenson), 2 ♀♀ [SAMC ex NMBZ]; Lupane [18.55S, 27.45E], xii.1938 (National Museum S. Rhodesia), 1 ♀ [AMGS], 1 ♂ [SAMC ex NMBZ]; Gwaai [19.17S, 27.43E], 16.i.1927 (G. Arnold), 1 ♂ (holotype), 1 ♀ (allotype), 1 ♀ [SAMC ex NMBZ]; Insuza River [19.25S, 18.05E], 24.xii.1939 (Nat. Museum S. Rhodesia), 1 ♂ [SAMC ex NMBZ]; Sawmills [19.35S, 28,02E], 22-27.xii.1923 (R.H.R. Stevenson), 1 ♀ [AMGS]; same locality, 22.ii.1925 (Rhod. Museum), 1 ♀ [SAMC ex NMBZ]; same locality, 4.ii.1926 (R.H.R. Stevenson, 1 ♀ [SAMC ex NMBZ]. NAMIBIA: circa 17km W [of] Khorixas (20.28S, 14.51E), 16.iii.2004 (F.W. and S. K. Gess), 1 ♂ (visiting pink flowers of Hermbstaedtia sp., Amaranthaceae ) [AMGS].SOUTH AFRICA: KWAZULU-NATAL: Manguzi River near Maputa, Z[ululand] [circa 26.59S, 32.45E], xi-xii.1945 (H. Bell-Marley), 1 ♂ [AMGS]. NORTHERN CAPE: ??, 24-27.iv.1973 (M.W. Mansell), 1 ♀ (Malaise trap) [AMGS].

Additional records given by Arnold 1929 and 1935: ZIMBABWE: Victoria Falls [17.55S, 25.50E], Springvale [18.22S, 30.22E]. BOTSWANA: Kuke Pan, Kalahari [23.23S, 24.27E].

Geographical distribution.

Known from Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, northern KwaZulu-Natal and the Northern Cape ( Fig. 16b ).

Floral associations.

Recorded from two plant families: Amaranthaceae (one record only, a female visiting flowers of Hermbstaedtia sp.) (Gess and Gess); Fabaceae , Papilionoideae , "small leguminous, clover-like plant (Arnold).

Nesting.

Unknown.

Prey.

Unkown.

Figures

Figure 15. Bembix spp.: a Bembix triangulifera, female, male b Bembix ulula, female, male c Bembix venusta, female, male d Bembix zinni, female, male. (approximate lengths of females: a 14.5 mm; b 15.5 mm; c 22 mm; d 14 mm)

Figure 16. Distributions of collection records of Bembix spp.: a Bembix triangulifera b Bembix ulula c Bembix venusta d Bembix zinni.