1203 



Superfamily BETHYLOIDEA 



By Karl V. Krombein 



Family BETHYLIDAE 



North American members of this family are tiny or small wasps, rarely over 10 mm long. 

 They are considered to have been derived from a very primitive aculeate stock, and in some fea- 

 tures of behavior and development are more like the typical Parasitica rather than the Aculeata. 

 Usually the female stings the host larva a number of times until it is completely and per- 

 manently paralyzed. The host larva is left in situ or it may be dragged to a crevice. The bethylid 

 female usually deposits several eggs on each host specimen and the gregarious bethylid larvae 

 develop externally. The Bethylinae and a few Epyrinae prey upon lepidopterous larvae, prin- 

 cipally borers and seed-feeders, but also case bearers and leaf rollers. Most of the other 

 bethylids prey upon coleopterous larvae (occasionally pupae), especially species dwelling in the 

 soil, boring in wood or infesting seeds. There have been a few unconfirmed reports of hymenop- 

 terous larvae serving as hosts. 



Despite Evans' recent numerous revisions of many of the genera of North American 

 Bethylidae, we must expect that intensive, specialized collecting and biological observations in 

 the future will enlarge our native fauna by as much as 50 percent. 



Revision: Evans, 1964. Mus. Compar. Zool., Bui. 132: 1-222, 144 figs, (generic reclassification 

 of New World spp.). 



Taxonomy: Ashmead, 1893. U. S. Natl. Mus., Bui. 45: 27-77. -Kieffer, 1914. Das Tierreich, 

 Lief. 41, pp. 1-595. —Richards, 1939. Roy. Ent. Soc. London, Trans. 89: 297-344. 



Biology: Ashmead, 1893. U. S. Natl. Mus., Bui. 45: 16-20. 



Morphology: Reid, 1941. Roy. Ent. Soc. London, Trans. 91: 402-409, figs. 42-44, 46 (female, 

 male thorax). 



Subfamily BETHYLINAE 



Genus PROSIEROLA Kieffer 



Prosierola Kieffer, 1905. In Andre, Spec. Hym. Eur. Alg., v. 9, p. 243. 

 Type-species: Epyris i nasalis Westwood. Monotypic. 

 bicarinata (Brues). Ga., Fla., Tex.; Mexico. Host: Laspeyresia caryana (Fitch); Desmia 

 funeralis (Hbn.) in leaf rolls. 

 Parasierola bicarinata Brues, 1907. Wis. Nat. Hist. Soc, Bui. 5: 100. 9. 



Biology: Doutt, 1973. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 66: 486-487, 1 fig. (brood tending). 



