Cavity-nesting-bee-associate
Guides
Cacoxenus indagator
Houdini fly
Cacoxenus indagator is a kleptoparasitic fruit fly native to central and southern Europe that has been introduced to North America. Females lay eggs in the pollen-filled nest cells of cavity-nesting solitary bees, particularly mason bees (Osmia species). The larvae consume pollen stores intended for host bee larvae, causing host mortality or reduced adult size. The species is commonly called the "Houdini fly" for its ability to escape sealed nest cells. It poses a significant threat to managed solitary bee populations in commercial pollination operations.
Grotea
Grotea is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Labeninae. Species in this genus are specialized parasitoids of cavity-nesting bees, particularly in the families Colletidae and Apidae. The genus has been documented across the Americas from the Greater Antilles to southern South America, with recent descriptions of new species from Colombia, Argentina, and Ecuador. Grotea species develop inside host brood cells, with larvae occupying one or more neighboring cells within membranous cocoons.