Mimumesa dahlbomi (Wesmael,1852)
Description and notes
A small, black sphecid wasp, formerly placed within the genus Psen. It is one of ten species currently placed within the genus Mimumesa to be found in Europe, and is probably the most widespread of those species.
Distribution
Widespread but local throughout England and Wales to Glamorgan and north to Inverness-shire. There is also one record from Ireland.
The species is common across Europe (Lomholdt 1984)
Status (in Britain only)
Not listed in Shirt (1987) or by Falk (1991) and is not thought to be scarce or threatened.
Habitat
Else & Felton (1994) indicate a varied habitat selection, including open woodland, heathland and coastal locations. Associated with dead wood habitats for nest sites.
Flight period
Richards (1980) cites May to September.
Prey collected
Nymphs of homopteran bugs within the families Delphacidae and Cicadellidae (Richards 1980). Lomholdt (1984) notes that up to 38 prey specimens have been provided for one larva.
Nesting biology
Widely quoted as nesting in old beetle holes in dead wood and this is undoubtedly typical, but John Felton (Else & Felton 1994) has observed a specimen leaving a burrow in the soil.
Flowers visited
No information available.
Parasites
No information available.
Year profile last updated
2005