Theronia laevigata (Tschek, 1869)

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 : 113

Theronia laevigata (Tschek, 1869)

Theronia spp. can be easily recognised. Their areolet is closed, their ovipositor is straight and relatively long, tergites 2–4 are polished and all tarsal claws are very large with a prominent, flattened, spatulate-tipped bristle (FITTON et al., 1988).

Theronia laevigata is predominantly black, without a ventral longitudinal ridge on the hind femur. It is known as a hyperparasitoid of the rather rare ichneumonid wasp Protichneumon pisorius (Linnaeus, 1758) on Sphinx pinastri Linnaeus, 1758 ( Lepidoptera : Sphingidae ) ( JACOBS, 2009). With respect to its ecology it is probably rare and living in low densities.

First report for the Netherlands; unconfirmed in Belgium.

MATERIAL EXAMINED:

THE NETHERLANDS: • 1 ♀; Olterterp , Bos Olterterp (FR) ; 53°04’27”N 6°05’52”E; 2/viii/2012; H. Meijer leg.; coll. KZ; field observation; H. Meijer & K. Zwakhals det.