Cellophane-bee-parasite

Guides

• Epeolus interruptus

  Interrupted Cellophane-cuckoo Bee

  Epeolus interruptus is a cleptoparasitic (cuckoo) bee in the family Apidae, native to North America. First described by Robertson in 1900, this species invades the nests of polyester bees (genus Colletes) to lay its eggs. Like other cuckoo bees, females lack the branched body hairs used for pollen collection and instead rely on host bees to provision their offspring. The species exhibits reduced pilosity compared to non-parasitic bees, giving it a wasp-like appearance.

  cuckoo-beekleptoparasiteNomadinaeColletes-parasiteNorth-AmericaRobertson-1900cleptoparasitic-beeEpeolinirare-beenest-parasiteApidaeHymenopterabeeparasitic-beewasp-mimicryreduced-pilositypolyester-bee-parasitecellophane-bee-parasite

• Epeolus pusillus

  Dwarf Cellophane-cuckoo Bee

  Epeolus pusillus is a cleptoparasitic cuckoo bee in the family Apidae, first described by Cresson in 1864. The species is a specialized nest parasite of two cellophane bee species in the genus Colletes: C. compactus and C. ciliatoides. As a cuckoo bee, females lay eggs in host nests where their larvae kill the host egg or larva and consume the pollen provisions. The species is known from the United States and Mexico.

  cleptoparasitecuckoo-beenest-parasiteColletescellophane-bee-parasiteApidaeHymenoptera