Hymenopteran-parasite
Guides
Physocephala floridana
thick-headed fly
Physocephala floridana is a species of thick-headed fly in the family Conopidae. Members of this genus are known to parasitize bees and wasps, with females attacking hosts in mid-air to deposit eggs between abdominal segments. The larvae develop as internal parasites, eventually killing the host. This species has been recorded from the northeastern United States, including Vermont.
Xenos
twisted-wing parasites
Xenos is a genus of twisted-wing parasites in the order Strepsiptera. These insects are obligate endoparasites of other insects, with larvae entering hosts through joints or sutures. Adult males are free-flying and short-lived, while neotenic females remain permanently within host abdomens. The genus includes species such as Xenos peckii, which parasitizes wasps including Polistes fuscatus.