Remarks on Behavior of Horse Guard Wasps (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae, Bembicinae) and Interrupted Hematophagism of Horse Flies (Diptera, Tabanidae)

Abstract

During studies on tabanid fauna on Marambaia Island, Mangaratiba, Brazil, the authors captured 71specimens of two species of solitaire sand wasps hunting horseflies, Stictia punctata (Fabricius, 1775) and Stictia signata signata (Linnaeus, 1758). Wasps interact with horseflies demonstrating outstanding behavior, interrupting the hematophagism, which enhances tabanids ability to transmit pathogenic agents to natural hosts.