Crabronidae-host
Guides
Omalus downeyi
Downey's Cuckoo Wasp
Omalus downeyi is a species of cuckoo wasp in the family Chrysididae. Like other members of the genus Omalus, it is a kleptoparasite that targets the nests of solitary wasps, particularly aphid-hunting wasps in the family Crabronidae such as Pemphredon and Passaloecus. The species exhibits an indirect parasitic strategy: females oviposit into aphids, which are then captured by host wasps and transported to their nests, where the cuckoo wasp larva develops by consuming the host's provisions.