Cuckoo Bees
Nomadinae
Classification
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Hymenoptera
- Family: Apidae
- Subfamily: Nomadinae
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Nomadinae: /nɔˈmædɪni/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Images
Summary
Nomadinae, commonly known as cuckoo bees, are a subfamily of bees that are entirely kleptoparasitic. They lack a pollen-carrying structure and are primarily found in the nests of other bees where they lay their eggs. Their larvae emerge to consume the provisions of the host, leading to the host larva's demise.
Physical Characteristics
Cuckoo bees of the subfamily Nomadinae lack a pollen-transporting apparatus and often resemble wasps in appearance. Females have a modified apex of the metasoma for placing eggs inside host nests.
Identification Tips
Look for bees without a scopa (pollen-carrying structure) and those that enter host nests to lay their eggs. Many species exhibit wasp-like features.
Habitat
Nomadinae are found in a wide variety of habitats worldwide, but they are most diverse in North America.
Distribution
They are globally distributed, with significant presence in the New World and less diversity in the Old World, particularly in the Palaearctic and limited diversity in Subsaharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Australasia.
Diet
Nomadinae are kleptoparasitic; their larvae feed on the pollen and nectar provisions stored by their host bees, while the adults primarily consume nectar.
Life Cycle
Females enter the nests of other bees, lay eggs into the host's cell, and the Nomadinae larva kills the host larva before consuming the food provisions in the cell.
Reproduction
Nomadinae females lay eggs inside the cells of host bees. They produce significantly more eggs than their hosts and have smaller egg sizes.
Ecosystem Role
As kleptoparasites, Nomadinae play a unique role in their ecosystem by disrupting the reproductive success of host bee species.
Evolution
Recent molecular studies have debated the origins of cleptoparasitism in Nomadinae, suggesting multiple independent evolutionary events leading to their current behaviors and traits.
Similar Taxa
- Melectini
- Rhathymini
- Ericrocidini
- Osirini
- Protepeolini
Misconceptions
Due to their wasp-like appearance, Nomadinae may be mistaken for wasps; however, they are actually parasitic bees.
Tags
- Cuckoo Bees
- Kleptoparasitic
- Nomadinae
- Bees
- Apidae