SPIDER PREY OF THE SPHECID WASP TRYPOXYLO N-(TRYPARGILUM)-TRIDENTATUM-TRIDENTATUM IN BAJA-CALIFORNIA-SUR, MEXICO

From January to December of 1991, 60 trap-nests were placed at a sarco caule shrub locality in Baja California Sur, Mexico, to collect spider s preyed upon by the wasp Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) tridentatum trident atum Packard. Captures were made only from April to October when the w asp had to feed their brood. Prey consisted of 30 species of spiders r epresenting seven families of which Araneidae, Theridiidae and Mimetid ae were the most abundant. The most frequently captured spiders were M etepeira crassipes Chamberlin & Ivie (Araneidae) (19.7%), Eustala cali forniensis Keyserling (Araneidae) (15.0%) and Theridion possitivum Cha mberlin (Theridiidae) (10.7%). Aerial web spinners were the most abund ant (85.2%) while 14.7% were wandering spiders. Sizes ranged from 1.3 mm to 6.7 mm. In 27 cells examined, the number of prey ranged from 1 t o 55. The wasp was more active during June when the capture of juvenil es was more abundant. Seasonal variaton of the wasp indicates its univ oltine character with diapause from November to March.