Ant-queen-kidnapper

Guides

• Aphilanthops frigidus

  Eastern Ant-Queen Kidnapper

  Aphilanthops frigidus is a solitary wasp in the family Crabronidae, commonly known as the Eastern Ant-Queen Kidnapper. The species is endemic to North America and specializes in hunting winged queens of ants in the genus Formica. Females excavate individual nest burrows in sandy soil, provisioning brood cells with paralyzed ant queens for their larvae. The species is active primarily during the summer months when ant colonies undergo their annual nuptial flights.

  solitary-waspant-predatorsand-nestingspecialist-predatorNorth-American-endemicnectar-feederPhilanthinaeant-queen-kidnapper

• Sphenometopa tergata

  satellite fly

  Sphenometopa tergata is a satellite fly in the family Sarcophagidae, subfamily Miltogramminae. It is known to parasitize the nests of ant-queen kidnapping wasps in the genus Aphilanthops, particularly A. frigidus. The species has been observed loitering near nest aggregations of these solitary wasps, suggesting kleptoparasitic or parasitoid behavior. Its taxonomic history includes transfer from the genus Araba to Sphenometopa.

  satellite-flykleptoparasiteparasitoidAphilanthopsMiltogramminaeCrabronidaeFormicaant-queen-kidnappersolitary-wasp-parasite