BEHAVIOR OF NESTING EPISYRON-CONTERMINUS-POSTERUS (FOX) AND ITS CLEPTOPARASITE EPHUTA-S-SLOSSONAE (FOX) (HYMENOPTERA, POMPILIDAE, MUTILLIDAE)

Behavior of the nesting spider wasp, Episyron conterminus posterus (Fo x) and its cleptoparasite, Ephuta s. slossonae (Fox) were studied near Lake Annie in the sand pine scrub of Archbold Biological Station, Lak e Placid, Florida. Nest burrows of E. c. posterus, 5.0-8.5 cm in lengt h, were usually dug at a 45 degrees angle into sandy, unvegetated soil . Excavation of several empty burrows prior to provisioning a nest was commonly observed. Each nest was provisioned with a single araneid sp ider, Eustala anastera (Walckenaer). Prey capture occurred prior to ne st digging, and the paralyzed spider was cached on low vegetation near the nesting site. Spiders were dragged by their legs into the nest. C losure and concealment of the burrow quickly followed nest provisionin g. Behavior of receptive Ephuta and their attracted males is described . Details of female searching behavior, inspection of empty Episyron b urrows, and entry into a closed, provisioned nest are provided. We rep ort here for the first time, a mutillid probably feeding upon the host egg on the spider prey, and ovipositing within the body of its host's prey. A review of the known or suspected hosts of Ephuta suggests tha t the latter are obligate cleptoparasites of Pompilidae (spider wasps) .