Hemolymph-feeding
Guides
Amblyoponinae
Dracula ants, Vampire ants
Amblyoponinae is an ancient, relictual subfamily of ants characterized by specialized subterranean predatory habits and unique 'Dracula ant' behavior, in which adult workers pierce the integument of their own larvae to imbibe haemolymph. The subfamily contains 13 extant genera and originated in the mid-Cretaceous approximately 107 million years ago. Crown group diversification occurred in the Late Paleocene/Early Eocene. The subfamily exhibits remarkable morphological and behavioral diversity, including convergent evolution of army ant-like behaviors in some lineages and highly plastic caste systems in others.
Anthrax irroratus
Spotted Bee Fly
Anthrax irroratus is a bee fly (family Bombyliidae) widespread across North America, ranging from Alaska and northern Canada to Central America and the Caribbean. Adults are pollinators that frequent flowers, while larvae are parasitoids of solitary bees and wasps in at least five families. The species is one of numerous bee flies that exploit ground-nesting Hymenoptera as hosts.
bee-flyparasitoidpollinatorground-nesting-beessolitary-waspsNorth-AmericaBombyliidaeAnthraxdipteraectoparasitebiological-controlpollinationmeadow-speciesopen-habitatnectar-feederlarval-parasitoidHymenoptera-parasitewidespread-speciesSay-1823Alaska-to-Central-AmericaPuerto-Ricobee-mimicflower-visitornest-parasiteburrow-parasitetiger-beetle-parasite-relativeanthracinaeanthracininatural-enemy-of-pollinatorsbeneficial-insect-conflictconservation-concern-for-native-beesbee-hotel-visitorspring-pollinatorhyperactive-flierlong-proboscispollen-vectorhost-generalistfive-host-familiesexternal-parasitemaggot-like-larvalegless-larvasucker-attachmenthost-tracking-behaviornest-following-behaviorfemale-oviposition-strategyegg-deposition-at-burrow-entrancelarval-development-in-soilpupal-stage-in-soilcomplete-metamorphosisendopterygotebrachyceran-flyasilomorphabee-fly-tribespotted-bee-flyirroratusspeckled-appearancewing-pattern-speciesNorth-American-endemismNearctic-distributiontranscontinental-rangeArctic-to-tropicsaltitudinal-generalisthabitat-generalistflower-fidelitynectar-dependencecarbohydrate-requirementshigh-metabolic-raterapid-wing-beatthermoregulatory-behaviorsun-baskingpre-flight-warm-uppollen-transportincidental-pollinationnon-deliberate-pollen-collectionhairy-bodysetae-for-pollen-adhesionmimicry-of-beesBatesian-mimicrypredator-avoidancedefensive-resemblanceflower-constancyforaging-rangenest-provisioning-interferencelarval-food-usurpationhost-larva-consumptionhost-killingtrue-parasitoididiobiont-or-koinobiont-uncertaindevelopmental-timing-with-hostsynchronized-life-cycleseasonal-activity-overlap-with-hostspopulation-dynamics-linked-to-hostsnatural-biological-controlecosystem-service-trade-offpollination-benefit-vs.-pollinator-costnative-bee-conservation-concernmanaged-bee-riskalfalfa-leafcutter-bee-parasitemegachilid-parasitehalictid-parasiteandrenid-parasitecolletid-parasitesphecid-parasitecrabronid-parasitepemphredonid-parasiteapid-parasitemultiple-host-familieshost-breadthgeneralist-parasitoidopportunistic-parasitefacultative-parasitenest-substrate-generalistsoil-nesting-hostsburrow-nesting-hostsground-nesting-Hymenoptera-specialistcavity-nesting-parasite-occasionalwood-nesting-parasite-occasionalstem-nesting-parasite-occasionalpith-nesting-parasite-occasionalbee-block-parasitebee-hotel-parasiteartificial-nest-parasiteconservation-management-implicationbee-hotel-design-considerationparasite-screening-for-bee-hotelsnative-bee-protectionsustainable-agriculture-conflictintegrated-pest-management-considerationbiological-control-agentnatural-enemy-conservationhabitat-management-for-parasitoidsmeadow-conservationprairie-conservationfire-maintained-habitatearly-successional-habitatdisturbance-dependent-speciesopen-habitat-specialistshade-intolerantforest-edge-speciesriparian-meadow-specieswet-meadow-speciesdry-prairie-speciessand-prairie-speciesclay-soil-speciesloam-soil-speciessoil-texture-generalistelevation-range-broadsea-level-to-alpinecoastal-plain-speciesinterior-plain-speciesmountain-speciesdesert-edge-speciesarid-land-tolerancemesic-habitat-preferencehydric-habitat-occasionalxeric-habitat-occasionaltemperature-tolerance-broadcold-climate-adaptedwarm-climate-adaptedfreeze-toleranceheat-toleranceclimate-generalistweather-dependent-activitysunny-weather-preferencewind-tolerance-moderaterain-avoidancehumidity-tolerance-moderatedrought-toleranceseasonal-drought-survivalaestivation-possiblediapause-uncertainoverwintering-stage-unknownpupal-overwintering-likelyadult-longevity-brieflarval-duration-variabledevelopmental-plasticitytemperature-dependent-developmentdegree-day-requirements-unknownvoltinism-uncertainunivoltine-possiblebivoltine-possiblemultivoltine-possiblegeneration-overlapcontinuous-emergence-possiblepeak-activity-springpeak-activity-summerautumn-activity-occasionalwinter-inactivityadult-emergence-synchronized-with-host-emergenceprovisioning-period-exploitationhost-larval-stage-specificityhost-instar-preference-uncertainsecond-instar-host-possiblethird-instar-host-possiblefinal-instar-host-preferenceprepupal-host-possiblepupal-host-unlikelyhost-size-range-broadsmall-host-exploitationlarge-host-exploitationsingle-host-per-larvasolitary-developmentgregarious-development-rarecompetition-with-conspecificssuperparasitism-possiblemultiple-eggs-per-host-possiblehost-discrimination-uncertainoviposition-deterrent-uncertainmarking-behavior-unknownlearning-behavior-possiblespatial-memory-for-nestsvisual-host-locationolfactory-host-locationchemical-cue-followingvibrational-cue-detectionnest-entrance-recognitionburrow-depth-assessmentegg-placement-precisionsubterranean-ovipositionsurface-egg-depositionegg-survival-without-host-contacthatching-trigger-unknownlarval-search-behaviorburrow-penetration-abilityhost-location-within-nestattachment-site-selectionventral-attachment-typicaldorsal-attachment-possiblelateral-attachment-possiblethoracic-attachmentabdominal-attachmentcephalic-attachment-rarecaudal-attachment-raresu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