Indirect-oviposition
Guides
Omalus
cuckoo wasps, jewel wasps
Omalus is a genus of cuckoo wasps (family Chrysididae), commonly known as jewel wasps for their metallic coloration. These small parasitoids employ a distinctive reproductive strategy: females insert eggs into living aphids at the hunting sites of their host wasps, using the aphid prey as an unwitting vehicle to transport their offspring into host brood cells. This indirect nest-entry strategy avoids the need for adult wasps to physically enter host nests. The genus includes multiple species across Europe, Asia, and North America, with some introduced species established in the United States.
Pseudomalus
cuckoo wasps, jewel wasps
Pseudomalus is a genus of cuckoo wasps (family Chrysididae), commonly known as jewel wasps for their brilliant metallic coloration. Species in this genus are kleptoparasites that exploit the nests of solitary wasps and bees. A distinctive behavioral trait involves females ovipositing into aphids, which are then captured by crabronid wasps and carried to their nests—indirectly delivering the cuckoo wasp larva to its eventual host. The genus includes both Palearctic natives and at least one introduced species (P. auratus) now established in North America.