Aeolothynnus sp. (genus)

5 A flower wasp at Tennent, ACT

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Identification history

	Aeolothynnus sp. (genus)	20 Nov 2021	Amata
	Thynninae (subfamily)	10 Oct 2021	David

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2 comments

MatthewFrawley wrote:

28 Nov 2021

Is anyone with expertise able to provide more info on the relationship between this wasp and this orchid? From the little reading I've done, there is an attraction for the male wasp to odours that mimic pheromones released by female wasps to attract the males for mating purposes. Seems like a very specific relationship between plant and insect here, well captured by the images in this sighting.

MattM wrote:

1 Dec 2021

That about sums it up. The labellum calli vaguely resemble a female wasp which the male tries to mate with. Probably has a higher success rate with males that might not yet have encountered a female. The labellum calli might also stimulate the male wasp so it is less likely to leave, but I am not entirely sure. The benefit of using sexual deception is that the plant doesn't have to waste resources on producing a sugary nectar. Additionally, when the pollinator species visits the plants, there is a high pollination success rate as the wasps position themselves effectively to remove and deposit the pollinia (a sack of pollen) at the right location on the flowers.

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Location information

Sighting information

4 - 15 Abundance
10 Oct 2021 09:24 AM Recorded on
David Recorded by
Collections
Featured Insects Wasps (Hymenoptera, Apocrita) Flower wasps (Scoliidae & Tiphiidae) David Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr

Additional information

Chiloglottis orchid. A couple of flowering plants found in the vicinity. Pollen visible on the backs of several of the wasps. Associated plant
12mm to 25mm Animal size

Species information

Aeolothynnus sp. (genus) Scientific name
A flower wasp Common name
Not Sensitive
Local native
Non-invasive or negligible
Up to 793m Recorded at altitude
Machine learning
External link More information

Record quality

Images or audio
More than one media file
Verified by an expert moderator
Nearby sighting(s) of same species
GPS evidence of location
Description
Additional attributes