Bee-nest-parasite

Guides

• Aphomia

  bee moth

  Aphomia is a genus of small moths in the family Pyralidae, subfamily Galleriinae. Some species are nest parasites of bees and bumblebees (Anthophila), with larvae feeding on wax, honey, and pollen. Other species, such as A. gularis, are significant pests of stored agricultural products including nuts, dried fruit, and cereals. The genus exhibits diverse ecological strategies spanning parasitism of social insect nests and exploitation of stored food products.

  wax-mothstored-product-pestbee-nest-parasitebumblebee-parasiteacoustic-communicationultrasonic-courtship

• Meloidae

  Blister Beetles

  Meloidae, commonly known as blister beetles, is a family of approximately 7,500 species worldwide within the order Coleoptera. Members are characterized by their production of cantharidin, a toxic terpenoid compound that serves as a potent chemical defense against predators. The family exhibits remarkable diversity in adult morphology, with some species displaying aposematic coloration while others are cryptically colored. Life histories are complex, typically involving hypermetamorphosis with mobile triungulin larvae that often parasitize grasshopper eggs or bee nests. Adults are primarily herbivorous, with many species feeding on flowers and foliage of various plants.

  hypermetamorphosistriungulincantharidinaposematismMüllerian-mimicrylivestock-poisoningalfalfa-pestflower-feedinggrasshopper-egg-parasitoidbee-nest-parasitechemical-defensetraditional-medicineanti-cancer-compoundspermatophore-transfersize-assortative-mating

• Zonitis atripennis

  Zonitis atripennis is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, found in North America. Adults feed on plants of the genus Cleome, while larvae develop as kleptoparasites in nests of various bee species. The species was described by Thomas Say in 1823 and includes two recognized subspecies: Z. a. atripennis and Z. a. terminalis.

  blister-beetlekleptoparasitebee-nest-parasiteCleome-feederNorth-American-fauna