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Phil Rau, Observations on Certain Lepidopterous and Hymenopterous Parasites of Polistes Wasps, Annals of the Entomological Society of America, Volume 34, Issue 2, 1 June 1941, Pages 355–366, https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/34.2.355
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Abstract
In an article entitled “Studies in the Ecology and Behavior of Polistes Wasps” (Bull. Brooklyn Ent. Soc. 33: 224–235, 1938, and 34:36–44, 1939) I state that Lepidopterous parasites, Dicymolomia pegasalis emerged from a nest of Polistes pallipes. This statement brought an inquiry from a friend who wanted to know what the moth had fed upon in its larval stage. Did it, he asked, feed upon the wasp-larva itself, or the larval excrement plastered against the ceiling of the cell or was it perhaps upon the papery material of the nest? This moth belongs to the family Pyralididae, a few of whose members, like those of the Tineidae and a few other families of small moths, have acquired strange and unusual feeding habits. Many species have strayed so far from the generally accepted vegetarian habits of Lepidoptera as to be nothing short of astonishing. Mr. H. I. O'Byrne has called my attention to a few of the most outstanding examples. For example, there are two species belonging to the family Pyralididae, Cryptoses choloepi1 and Bradipodicola hahneli2 which inhabit the fur of living sloths, living continuously in it and causing its matted condition. Then there are two species of moths, Tinea vastella3 and T. orientalis4 that have been bred from the horns of cattle, where they feed upon the horny tissue. The larvae of Zenodochium coccivorella5 and of Euclemensia bassettella6 are internal parasites of the females of Kermes (Coccidae). The caterpillar of the latter species cuts a lid in the Kermes' gall so that it may easily emerge when it becomes adult. Tinea fuscipunctella (Forbes, ibid., p. 126) breeds in the trash of pigeon nests and Triohophaga tapetzella (Forbes, ibid., p. 131) is a clothes moth and general scavenger often breeding in owl pellets; while the larvae of Monopis crocicapitella (Forbes, ibid., p. 132) breed in seeds of absinth and in refuse, and have also been taken in caves in association with bats. The larvae of Valentinia glandulella (Forbes, ibid., p. 310) are scavengers on acorn weevils, while V. quaintancella (Forbes, ibid., p. 327) are known to feed on mummy-apples, i. e., apples entirely black and shriveled up from disease. Pyroderous rileyi (Forbes, ibid., p. 327) feeds on mummy fruits, rotten cotton-balls and stored corn. We must not forget the notorious wax moths, Galleria mellonella and Achroia grisella which are scavengers in the comb and the wax of the honey-bee, and finally we have certain species such as Aphomia sociella and Vitula edmandsii whose larvae are found in the nests of bumble bees (Forbes, ibid., p. 631).
