BIOTIC ASSOCIATIONS OF COCKROACHES — ROTH & WILLIS 265 



to 6 cm. and ended 4 cm. below the surface of the ground. Behavior. 

 — Two cockroaches, either sex, adults or nymphs, were stored in the 

 cell (Adlerz, 1903; Grandi, 1928). The wasp laid her egg on the 

 first prey brought, attaching it behind the front coxa. The cockroaches 

 were not excitable and their antennae had not been injured. Grandi 

 (1928) stated that the claws of the hind tarsi of the victims may be 

 amputated. The hatched larva may consume one of its victims in four 

 days leaving only the head, pronotum, tegmina, wings, and the uro- 

 sternum. 



Podium abdominale (Perty) 



Synonymy. — Trigonopsis ahdominalis Perty [Kohl, 1902]. 



Natural hosts. — Cockroaches, nymphs, Ecuador (WilHams, 1928) : 

 These wasps are apparently mainly arboreal mud daubers. The female 

 wasp constructs a mud nest on underside of a palm leaf. Wasp egg is 

 attached behind one of the forecoxae of the cockroach. Several cock- 

 roaches are stored in each nest. The prey is not immobilized as a re- 

 sult of the sting, and its antennae are left intact. 



Podium Carolina Rohwer 



Natural host. — Parcohlatta pensylvanica, nymphs (Rau, 1937) : 

 Nesting sites are mud nests of Sceliphron caementarium (Drury). 

 One to three cockroach nymphs are stored per nest ; mud partitions 

 are placed in tube ; the nest is plugged with mud which is coated with 

 resin. Distribution. — U.S.A., New York to North Carolina (Murray, 

 195 1 ) ; Florida (Krombein and Evans, 1955). 



Podium dubium Taschenberg 



Natural hosts. — Epilamprine cockroaches, Brazil (Williams, 1928) : 

 Burrows, lenticular in cross section, are found on shaded trails. The 

 wasp's habits are similar to those of P. flavipenne and P. haemaio- 

 gastrum. 



Podium flavipenne Lepeletier 



Natural host. — Epilampra abdomen-nigriim, British Guiana (Wil- 

 liams, 1928) : Nesting site. — Burrows, about 2 inches deep and len- 

 ticular in cross section, are dug in the ground in well-drained, partly 

 sheltered areas ; also old Podium nests are used. Behavior. — The 

 wasp stings the cockroach to helplessness and flies with it back to her 

 nest where the host may recover from the sting ; one or more cock- 

 roaches are stored per nest ; the egg is deposited behind the forecoxa 

 while the cockroach is still outside the burrow. The nest is sealed with 

 mud. The larva feeds on most of the cockroach and leaves only some 



