Erigorgus melanops (Gravenhorst, 1829)

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 : 28

Erigorgus melanops (Gravenhorst, 1829)

Erigorgus spp. also belong to the group of Anomaloninae that have the distal abscissa present in the hind wing CU. However, contrary to Aphanistes , their frons is smooth and a median lamella is missing. The tarsal claws are not completely pectinate (GAULD & MITCHELL, 1977).

Identification from pictures is hard and has to be treated with care, especially because there is a lot of variability, i.e. in the colouration of the faces of males ( PÉNIGOT 2021, in press). More consistent characteristics are the yellowish hind tarsi and the black coxae. This species is primarily active in early spring (March and April) and is probably more common than we know, with a host like Maniola jurtina (Linnaeus, 1758) ( Lepidoptera : Nymphalidae ).

First report for the Netherlands; confirmed in Belgium.

MATERIAL EXAMINED:

BELGIUM: • 1 ♀; Deurne (AN); 51°11’10”N 4°27’11”E; 30/iii/2014; D. Verstraeten leg.; field observation; W. Pénigot det. (ObsID: 82871425) . • 1 ♀; Meensel , Zandgroeve (VB); 50°53’08”N 4°54’46”E; 29/iii/2019; N. Van Loco leg.; field observation; W. Pénigot det. (ObsID: 168832456) . • 1 ♀; Oudenaarde (OVL); 50°50’47”N 3°39’28”E; 18/iv/2020; G. Groenez leg.; field observation; W. Pénigot det. (ObsID: 188998180) .

THE NETHERLANDS: • 1 ♂; Swalmen (LIN), A73; 51°12’59”N 6°01’10”E; 25/iii/2020; D. Nijskens leg.; field observation; W. Pénigot det. (ObsID: 187210553) .