1978] Evans — Solitary Wasp that Preys on Lacewings 
83 
attached between the middle and hind coxae of the prey and 
extended over the wing base and well above the dorsum (Fig. 1). 
This egg position is similar to that of many Bembix which prey 
upon flies. That there were 10 prey in the cell, with the female still 
provisioning, indicates that this species mass-provisions its cells. 
Mass provisioning is uncommon in Bembix, B. hinei Parker being 
the only other North American species for which this has been 
reported (Evans, 1957). 
The lacewings proved to belong to three species: Eremochrysa 
tibialis Banks (2), E. punctinervis (McLachlan) (5), and Chrysoperla 
comanche (Banks) (3) (det. Phillip A. Adams). Dr. Adams writes 
that all three species are common in the Southwest. Although some 
Chrysopidae release odorous substances from thoracic glands, this 
is not notably true of members of these genera. It will be of interest 
to discover if B. stenebdoma consistently uses lacewings in other 
areas and whether predation is restricted to species of Eremochrysa 
and Chrysoperla. 
Acknowledgments 
This paper is part of a study of the comparative behavior of 
solitary wasps, supported by the National Science Foundation, 
grant BNS76-09319. The assistance of Dr. Phillip A. Adams of 
California State University, Fullerton, in identifying the Chrysopi- 
dae is gratefully acknowledged. 
References 
Alcock, J. 
1975. The behavior of some bembicine wasps of southern Arizona (Hymen- 
optera: Sphecidae, Microbembex, Glenostictia, Xerostictia). Southwest- 
ern Nat. 20: 337-342. 
Bohart, R. M. 
1970. New species, synonymy and lectotype designations in North American 
Bembicini. Pan-Pac. Ent. 46: 201-207. 
Evans, H. E. 
1957. Studies on the Comparative Ethology of Digger Wasps of the Genus 
Bembix. Comstock Publ. Assoc., Ithaca, N.Y. 248 pp. 
Evans, H. E., and R. W. Matthews 
1968. North American Bembix, a revised key and suggested grouping. Ann. 
Ent. Soc. Amer. 61: 1284-1299. 
Evans, H. E., and R. W. Matthews 
1973. Systematics and nesting behavior of Australian Bembix sand wasps. 
Mem. Amer. Ent. Inst., no. 20. 387 pp. 
