Ropalidia haladaorum Polašek, 2025

Observation.

Republic of the Congo • 2 ♀♀, nest; Parc national d’Odzala-Kokoua, Cuvette-Ouest; 0.53038°N, 14.86947°E; 2 Nov 2021; obs Pedro Lopes; (Lopes 2023).

Nest.

This is a central African species, characterized by mainly brown body colour and developed inferior pronotal carinae. One nest of this species was observed in Odzala-Kokoua region (Lopes 2023). The nest has 11 cells (from what can be inferred from two angles of the nest that are provided in the photos), hanging with an apical stalk from a leaf base. The cell wall is grey-greenish, compact and apparently, rather thick, with somewhat whitish cocoon caps and plenty of pulp attached to them. All three enclosed caps have a small central hole, suggesting a possible parasitization by Braconidae or another similar family of small parasitoid wasps. The stalk does not seem to be layered with an ant-repelling substance, since it does not show any shining. Two adult females were observed on the nest.