Sphindidae Jacquelin du Val, 1858

Berx, Peter, Bosmans, Bart, Dekoninck, Wouter, Janssen, Marc, Stassen, Eugène & Crevecoeur, Luc, 2023, Faunistic survey of myrmecophilous and other ant-associated beetles and spiders in the Belgian province of Limburg (Araneae, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Belgian Journal of Entomology 141, pp. 1-61 : 29

Sphindidae Jacquelin du Val, 1858

Of the individuals collected in Limburg so far (Annex), 92 % were caught while migrating to a new suitable location. Only a targeted search by sifting through decayed wood near the ants’ nests has shown that Aspidiphorus orbiculatus (1.2-1.5mm) ( Fig. 24 ) inhabits the same microbiotope as the xylobiont ants L. brunneus and L. fuliginosus ( Table 22). This beetle is widespread in Europe and feeds upon spores of slime mould.

Figures

Fig.24. Aspidiphorus orbiculatus (Gyllenhal, 1808) (1.4mm; range 1.2-1.5 mm). © U. Schmidt.