Species Account for Pseudomalus violaceus

Essex Red Data List comment
parasite on stem & wood-nesting sphecids

Species text
The ruby-tailed wasp Pseudomalus violaceus is a widely dispersed but scarce species in southern England. A large proportion of records refer to garden or suburban locations, although it probably occurs in a wider variety of habitats with dead wood such as old fence posts, stumps, partly dead trees and bushes. It is a parasitoid of larvae of small sphecid wasps, with rearing records for Pemphredon lugubris and Passaloecus corniger nests, both in dead wood and in Lipara galls on Phragmites. Plenty of dead wood (e.g. old fence posts, stumps, partly dead trees and shrubs) in sunny locations should be retained. The loss of host nesting sites shaded out by succession, such as the closing over of sunny woodland rides and clearings, should be prevented. References

Habitats

Recorded management for locations with Pseudomalus violaceus

Recorded substrate and hydrology for locations with Pseudomalus violaceus

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