Triepeolus kathrynae

Rozen, 1989

cuckoo bee

Triepeolus kathrynae is a of cleptoparasitic cuckoo bee in the Apidae, tribe Epeolini. The species was described by Rozen in 1989. Like other members of the Triepeolus, it is a that does not construct nests or gather pollen. It has been recorded from the United States and Mexico.

Triepeolus kathrynae by (c) Sam Kieschnick, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Sam Kieschnick. Used under a CC-BY license.

Triepeolus kathrynae by (c) Katherine Parys, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katherine Parys. Used under a CC-BY license.

Triepeolus kathrynae by Laurence Packer, York University. Used under a CC BY 3.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Triepeolus kathrynae: /ˌtraɪ.iˈpiːələs ˈkæθrɪneɪ/

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Images

Distribution

United States and Mexico.

Host Associations

Triepeolus - Members of this are that lay in the nests of bees, typically in the Apidae.

Similar Taxa

Triepeolus punctoclypeusCongeneric in the same , sharing cleptoparasitic lifestyle and general body plan.
EpeolusRelated in the same tribe Epeolini, also containing cuckoo bees with similar cleptoparasitic .

More Details

Taxonomic note

The was described by Jerome G. Rozen, Jr. in 1989. The specific epithet 'kathrynae' appears to honor an individual named Kathryn, though the etymology is not explicitly documented in available sources.

Cleptoparasitic biology

As a member of Nomadinae, T. kathrynae is presumed to be a (cuckoo bee) that invades nests to lay . The larvae consume host provisions and typically kill the host offspring. This lifestyle is characteristic of the entire Nomadinae.