Triopasites penniger
(Cockerell, 1894)
Triopasites penniger is a cuckoo bee in the Apidae, Nomadinae. Like other members of the , it is a that lays in the nests of bees. The species occurs in the southwestern United States and Mexico. It belongs to the tribe Brachynomadini, a group of small, often inconspicuous cuckoo bees.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Triopasites penniger: //traɪˌoʊˈpæsɪˌtiːz ˈpɛnɪdʒər//
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Identification
Small, slender cuckoo bee. Lacks the dense hair of pollen-collecting bees. Coloration and specific morphological details for distinguishing T. penniger from such as T. maculifrons are not documented in available sources.
Images
Distribution
Southwestern United States and Mexico. Specific states and regions within this range are not documented.
Host Associations
- Tetraloniella - probable Triopasites are associated with Eucerini bees; Tetraloniella is a primary for the tribe Brachynomadini
- Eucerini - probable tribeBrachynomadini cuckoo bees are of long-horned bees in tribe Eucerini
Behavior
Cleptoparasitic: females enter nests and lay in , where larvae consume the host's pollen provisions and developing offspring.
Ecological Role
of ground-nesting bees; of .
Similar Taxa
- Triopasites maculifrons with overlapping distribution; specific distinguishing characters for T. penniger are not documented