Hyper-parasitoid
Guides
Hemipenthes inops
Hemipenthes inops is a species of bee fly in the family Bombyliidae, found in the western United States. It is distinguished from other members of its genus by its mostly transparent wings, whereas congeners typically have patterned or darkened wings. The species belongs to a genus whose larvae are known to be hyper-parasitoids, developing as parasites of other parasitic insects.
Hemipenthes pullata
Hemipenthes pullata is a species of bee fly in the family Bombyliidae, first described by Coquillett in 1894. The genus Hemipenthes is distinguished by its unique larval ecology: larvae are hyper-parasitoids that develop as parasites of other parasitic insects, specifically targeting ichneumon wasps, tachinid flies, and similar parasitoids of lepidopteran caterpillars. Adult bee flies in this genus visit flowers for nectar, though they are considered flower visitors rather than effective pollinators. The species is part of the diverse North American bee fly fauna, which includes over 800 described species north of Mexico.