Behaviour of Hemithynnus hyalinatus (Hymenoptera: Tiphidae), with notes on some other Thynninae

The behaviour of Hemithynnus hyalinatus Westwood, a wasp parasite of scarabaeid larvae, was studied in the field on the northern tablelands of New South Wales and in the laboratory. The wingless females are fed by the males at the breeding area during mating. The distance between the breeding area and the feeding area of the males is less than 800 m. H. hyalinatus parasitizes the third-instar larvae and pupae of almost all the larger scarabaeid species in the study area. The behaviour of H. hyalinatus was compared with that of other Thynninae which have been studied by other workers.