Bumble-bee-parasite
Guides
Physocephala sagittaria
thick-headed fly
A species of thick-headed fly in the family Conopidae. Adults are wasp mimics that frequent flowers for nectar. Females are known to parasitize bumble bees by forcing eggs between abdominal segments, with larvae developing internally and eventually killing the host. The species occurs in eastern North America.
Physocephala texana
thick-headed fly
Physocephala texana is a species of thick-headed fly in the family Conopidae. It is an internal parasite of bumble bees, specifically Bombus vosnesenskii. The female fly intercepts bees in mid-air and forcibly deposits an egg between the host's abdominal segments. The larva develops inside the living bee, eventually killing it and pupating within the hollow exoskeleton. Adult flies are wasp mimics with elongated abdomens and heavily pigmented wing margins that resemble the folded wings of potter wasps.
Physocephala tibialis
thick-headed fly
Physocephala tibialis is a parasitoid fly in the family Conopidae that develops within the abdomens of bees, particularly bumble bees (Bombus spp.). Adults are primarily black with yellow facial markings and thin white abdominal stripes, and are frequently observed near flowering plants where they locate hosts. The species exhibits remarkable host manipulation, inducing infected bees to bury themselves before death, which protects the developing pupa underground.