First record of gall wasp in Lithocarpus(Fagaceae) with description of a new Saphonecrus species(Hymenoptera:Cynipidae) from China

A new species of inquiline, Saphonecrus lithocarpi sp. nov., is described. This species emerged from leaf gall on Lithocarpus harlandii （Fagaceae）. Diagnosis, distribution, and biology of the new species are included and illustrated. Also a key of Palaearctic Saphonecrus species with pronotal carina is given.

Life-history traits in insect inclusions associated with bamboo galls

We examined the life-history traits of insect inclusions in bamboo galls induced by the gall maker, Aiolomorphus rhopaloides Walker (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) in a bamboo stand. Eight hymenopteran and one dipteran species were detected using soft X-ray photography of the galls and insect emergence from the galls. Aiolomorphus rhopaloides was the gall maker and Diomorus aiolomorphi Kamijo (Torymidae) was its inquiline.Homoporusjaponicus Ashmead (Pteromalidae) and Eupelmus sp. (Eupelmidae) are likely to be primary parasitoids of the larva ofA. rhopaloides. Eurytoma sp. (Eurytomidae),Sycophila sp. (Eurytomidae) and Norbanus sp. (Pteromalidae) are thought to be facultative hyperparasitoids. Cecidomyiidae sp. is thought to be the inquiline ofA. rhopaloides galls.Leptacis sp. (Platygastridae) probably parasitizes the larvae of Cecidomyiidae sp. Larvae of A. rhopaloides appeared in galls in July with the percentage of larvae decreasing in September, before overwintering as pupae. The growth ofD. aiolomorphi larvae within galls may be faster than that ofA. rhopaloides. The percentage of parasitoids in galls was low in July, but increased until winter. Aiolomorphus rhopaloides and D. aiolomorphi emerged from mid-April to early May, and from late April to early June, respectively. From overwintering galls, six other hymenopteran species emerged between late May and late June; one dipteran Cecidomyiidae sp. emerged between mid-April and early May.

Taxonomic review of East Palearctic species of Synergus section I, with description of a new species from China (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipinae)

A taxonomic review is provided for the Section I of the inquiline gallwasp genus Synergus, including the description of a new species from China, S. deqingensis Pujade-Villar, Wang ＆ Chen sp. nov. and redescription of all previously known species of the section from the that region. Synergus jezoensis Uchida ＆ Sakagami, 1948, a species previously considered of uncertain status from Japan, is treated herein as a valid species, and is redescribed and reported for the first time from China. Andricus mukaigawae（Mukaigawa, 1913） and its inquiline, S. japonicus, are reported for the first time from China. A key is provided to all four East Palearctic species in Section I of Synergus.

The cephalic labial gland secretions of two socially parasitic bumblebees Bombus hyperboreus （Alpinobombus） and Bombus inexspectatus （ Thoracobombus） question their inquiline strategy

Social parasitic Hymenopterans have evolved morphological, chemical, and behavioral adaptations to overcome the sophisticated recognition and defense systems of their social host to invade host nests and exploit their worker force. In bumblebees, so- cial parasitism appeared in at least 3 subgenera independently： in the subgenus Psithyrus consisting entirely of parasitic species, in the subgenus Alpinobombus with Bombus hy- perboreus, and in the subgenus Thoracobombus with B. inexspectatus. Cuckoo bumblebee males utilize species-specific cephalic labial gland secretions for mating purposes that can impact their inquiline strategy. We performed cephalic labial gland secretions in B. hyperboreus, B. inexspectatus and their hosts. Males of both parasitic species exhibited high species specific levels of cephalic gland secretions, including different main com- pounds. Our results showed no chemical mimicry in the cephalic gland secretions between inquilines and their host and we did not identify the repellent compounds already known in other cuckoo bumblebees.