Kleptoparasite
Guides
Elampus nitidus
Elampus nitidus is a species of cuckoo wasp in the family Chrysididae, a group of parasitoid wasps known for their metallic coloration and kleptoparasitic lifestyle. The species belongs to the genus Elampus, which contains approximately 18 species distributed across North America. Members of this genus are known to parasitize the nests of other solitary wasps, particularly those in the family Crabronidae.
Emesaya brevipennis
thread-legged bug
Emesaya brevipennis is a thread-legged assassin bug in the subfamily Emesinae, distributed across the New World from North America through Central America to South America. The species comprises three subspecies, all occurring in North America north of Mexico. The nominate subspecies E. b. brevipennis is the most widely distributed and has been documented as bivoltine in southern Illinois, with five instars. This species exhibits specialized predatory behavior, including kleptoparasitism of spider prey and intraguild predation on conspecifics.
Epeoloides
Macropis Cuckoo Bee
Epeoloides is a genus of kleptoparasitic (cuckoo) bees in the family Apidae, tribe Osirini. The genus comprises two known species: Epeoloides coecutiens (Fabricius, 1775) in Europe and Epeoloides pilosulus (Cresson, 1878) in North America. Both species are nest parasites of oil-collecting bees in the genus Macropis (Melittidae), which themselves are specialized pollinators of oil-producing flowers in the genus Lysimachia. This tripartite ecological dependency—between flower, host bee, and parasite—makes Epeoloides one of the rarest and most vulnerable bee genera in the Holarctic region.
Epeoloides pilosulus
Macropis Cuckoo Bee
Epeoloides pilosulus is one of the rarest bees in North America, an obligate kleptoparasite of oil-collecting Macropis bees (Melittidae). It belongs to the tribe Osirini, a group of parasitic bees entirely dependent on oil-collecting bees as hosts. The species was thought extinct from the 1950s until its rediscovery in Nova Scotia in 2004, with subsequent records from Alberta, Ontario, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, and Michigan extending its known range. Its survival depends on a three-way ecological relationship: E. pilosulus requires Macropis host bees, which in turn require oil-producing Lysimachia flowers for larval provisioning.
Epeolus bifasciatus
Two-banded Cellophane-cuckoo Bee
Epeolus bifasciatus is a cleptoparasitic bee in the family Apidae, commonly known as the Two-banded Cellophane-cuckoo Bee. As a member of the genus Epeolus, it parasitizes nests of polyester bees in the genus Colletes, specifically targeting Colletes latitarsis. The species is distributed across Central America and North America.
Epeolus canadensis
Canadian Cellophane-cuckoo Bee
Epeolus canadensis is a species of cuckoo bee in the family Apidae. It is a kleptoparasite that lays its eggs in the nests of other bee species. The species is found in North America, with records from the United States and Canada.
Epeolus carolinus
Carolina Cellophane-cuckoo Bee
Epeolus carolinus is a species of cuckoo bee in the family Apidae, first described by Mitchell in 1962. As a cleptoparasitic bee, it lays eggs in the nests of host bee species rather than constructing its own nests or collecting pollen. The species is native to North America and is one of approximately 43 recognized Epeolus species on the continent. Like other members of its genus, it is associated with polyester bees (Colletes) as hosts.
Epeolus howardi
Howard's Cellophane-cuckoo Bee
Epeolus howardi, commonly known as Howard's cellophane-cuckoo bee, is a species of cleptoparasitic bee in the family Apidae. As a member of the genus Epeolus, it is a nest parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of host bees rather than constructing its own nest or collecting pollen. The species is known from North America and was described by Mitchell in 1962.
Epeolus interruptus
Interrupted Cellophane-cuckoo Bee
Epeolus interruptus is a cleptoparasitic (cuckoo) bee in the family Apidae, native to North America. First described by Robertson in 1900, this species invades the nests of polyester bees (genus Colletes) to lay its eggs. Like other cuckoo bees, females lack the branched body hairs used for pollen collection and instead rely on host bees to provision their offspring. The species exhibits reduced pilosity compared to non-parasitic bees, giving it a wasp-like appearance.
Epeolus mesillae
Mesilla Cellophane Bee
Epeolus mesillae is a species of cuckoo bee in the family Apidae, first described by Cockerell in 1895. As a kleptoparasite, it invades the nests of host bees to lay its eggs, with its offspring consuming the host's provisions. The species is recorded from North America and Middle America. Like other Epeolus species, it lacks the branched body hairs typical of pollen-collecting bees and instead exhibits color patterns of short black, white, red, and yellow hairs.
Epinysson basilaris
Epinysson basilaris is a species of solitary wasp in the family Crabronidae (formerly placed in Bembicidae). The species was described by Cresson in 1882 and is distributed across Central America and North America. As a member of the Nyssonini tribe, it belongs to a group of kleptoparasitic or predatory wasps whose biology remains incompletely documented.
Epinysson bellus
Epinysson bellus is a species of digger wasp in the family Crabronidae, subfamily Bembicinae, tribe Nyssonini. The species was first described by Cresson in 1882. It belongs to a group of solitary wasps that are part of the diverse nyssonine lineage within the Bembicinae. Like other members of its genus, it is likely a kleptoparasite or predator associated with other ground-nesting wasps, though specific biological details remain poorly documented.
Ericrocis
Ericrocis is a genus of kleptoparasitic bees in the family Apidae, commonly known as centris-cuckoo bees. The genus comprises at least four described species distributed in the southwestern United States and Mexico. As cuckoo bees, Ericrocis species do not construct their own nests but instead lay eggs in the nests of host bees, primarily in the genus Centris. The genus was established by Cresson in 1887 and belongs to the tribe Ericrocidini.
Euphyto
Euphyto is a genus of flies in the family Sarcophagidae, subfamily Miltogramminae. Members of this genus are parasitoid flies that develop in the nests of solitary bees and wasps. The genus was established by Townsend in 1908. Miltogrammine flies are known for their kleptoparasitic or parasitoid lifestyle, laying eggs in or near host provisions.
Eustalomyia
Eustalomyia is a genus of root-maggot flies in the family Anthomyiidae, comprising approximately five described species. The genus is notable for its kleptoparasitic relationship with solitary wasps, particularly those in the family Crabronidae. Adults are typically found near wood harboring wasp nests, where they deposit eggs. The larvae develop within the stored prey provisions of their hosts.
Eustalomyia vittipes
Eustalomyia vittipes is a root-maggot fly in the family Anthomyiidae. The genus Eustalomyia is known for kleptoparasitic associations with wasps, though most literature documents this behavior with solitary wasp species rather than social ones. Records indicate presence in northern Europe, particularly Scandinavia and Denmark.
Evagetes
Evagetes is a genus of kleptoparasitic spider wasps in the family Pompilidae, containing 72 described species. Unlike most spider wasps that hunt spiders directly, Evagetes species parasitize the nests of other pompilid wasps by entering sealed burrows, consuming the host egg, and replacing it with their own. The genus is primarily distributed in the Palaearctic region (58 species), with 11 species in the Nearctic region and limited representation in other biogeographic realms. Evagetes is distinguished from related genera by its notably short antennae.
Foxia navajo
Foxia navajo is a species of solitary wasp in the family Crabronidae (formerly Bembicidae), described by Pate in 1938. The genus Foxia belongs to the tribe Nyssonini within the subfamily Bembicinae. Like other members of its tribe, this species is presumed to be a kleptoparasite or predator of other ground-nesting wasps, though specific biological details remain poorly documented. The species is known from North America, with the specific epithet 'navajo' suggesting a connection to the Navajo Nation or southwestern United States region.
Gasteruptiidae
Carrot Wasps
Gasteruptiidae is a family of apocritan wasps comprising approximately 500 species in two subfamilies (Gasteruptiinae and Hyptiogastrinae) and six extant genera worldwide. Members are commonly known as "carrot wasps" due to their slender, elongated bodies and frequent association with umbelliferous flowers. The family is characterized by a pronounced elongated "neck" (propleura) between the head and thorax, a petiole attached high on the propodeum, and notably swollen, club-like hind tibiae. These wasps are parasitoids or predator-inquilines of solitary bees and wasps, with females using their long ovipositors to deposit eggs in host nests.
Hedychridium solierellae
Hedychridium solierellae is a species of cuckoo wasp in the family Chrysididae. Members of this genus are among the most brilliantly colored of the chrysidids, exhibiting bright metallic blues, greens, and reds. These wasps are nest parasites of predatory, solitary wasps. The genus Hedychridium is part of the diverse cuckoo wasp family Chrysididae, which comprises kleptoparasitic species that lay their eggs in the nests of other wasps and bees.
Hedychrum cupricolle
Hedychrum cupricolle is a species of cuckoo wasp in the family Chrysididae. Like other members of its genus, it is a kleptoparasite that targets the nests of solitary wasps. The species has been recorded in Europe, though specific details about its biology and distribution remain limited in published sources.
Hedychrum violaceum
Hedychrum violaceum is a species of cuckoo wasp in the family Chrysididae. Cuckoo wasps are kleptoparasites, laying their eggs in the nests of other wasp species where their larvae consume the host's provisions. The species exhibits the characteristic metallic coloration typical of the genus Hedychrum. Like other members of its family, it is associated with open, sandy habitats where its hosts nest.
Hexepeolus
Hexepeolus is a monotypic genus of cuckoo bees in the family Apidae, established by Linsley and Michener in 1937. It represents the sole genus within the tribe Hexepeolini and contains only one described species, Hexepeolus rhodogyne. As a member of the subfamily Nomadinae, these bees exhibit kleptoparasitic behavior, laying eggs in the nests of other bee species. The genus is rarely encountered, with minimal observational records.
Holcopasites minimus
Tiny Furrowed-Cuckoo
Holcopasites minimus is a species of cuckoo bee in the family Apidae, first described by Linsley in 1943. It belongs to the subfamily Nomadinae, a group of kleptoparasitic bees that lay their eggs in the nests of other bee species. The species occurs across a broad geographic range from Mexico to Canada. Like other members of the genus Holcopasites, it is presumed to be a nest parasite of ground-nesting bees, though specific host relationships remain poorly documented.
Holcopasites stevensi
Stevens's Cuckoo Nomad Bee
Holcopasites stevensi is a species of cuckoo bee in the family Apidae. It is found from Mexico to Canada.
Holopyga
cuckoo wasps
Holopyga is a genus of cuckoo wasps in the family Chrysididae. Species in this genus exhibit a distinctive cleptoparasitic life history: females oviposit into aphids, and when crabronid wasps such as Pemphredon collect these aphids as prey for their nests, the Holopyga larva emerges first and consumes the food stores intended for the host larva. This indirect parasitism of wasp nests via aphid intermediates has been documented for Holopyga by Veenendaal (2012). The genus contains approximately 35 described species distributed across Europe and other regions.
Leiopodus singularis
Singular Turret-Cuckoo
Leiopodus singularis is a kleptoparasitic bee species in the family Apidae. It is a specialized brood parasite that targets the nests of Diadasia olivacea, a host bee species. The species exhibits distinctive behavioral adaptations for nest infiltration, including prolonged perching outside host nests and multiple brief inspection visits before oviposition. Its life cycle involves direct larval combat where the first instar kills the much larger host larva.
Lepidophora lepidocera
Scaly Bee Fly
Lepidophora lepidocera is a Nearctic bee fly species in the family Bombyliidae, one of eight species in the genus Lepidophora. The genus is restricted to the New World, with L. lepidocera occurring in the eastern United States. Adults display a distinctive hunch-backed body shape and are frequently observed visiting flowers for nectar. Larvae are kleptoparasites that usurp provisions from solitary wasp nests rather than parasitizing the wasp larvae directly.
Leptometopa latipes
freeloader fly
Leptometopa latipes is a species of freeloader fly in the family Milichiidae. The species was described by Meigen in 1830. Members of the family Milichiidae are commonly known as freeloader flies due to their kleptoparasitic behavior, often feeding on the prey of other insects rather than capturing their own food. The species has been recorded from several locations in Europe including Belgium and the Azores (Flores, Pico, Terceira).
Leucophora
satellite flies, root-maggot flies
Leucophora is a genus of kleptoparasitic flies in the family Anthomyiidae, comprising approximately 60 described species with worldwide distribution except Oceania. Species are commonly known as 'satellite flies' due to their habit of hovering near host nests. The genus is associated with bees and solitary wasps, with females shadowing hosts to locate nest entrances for oviposition. Larvae are parasitic on host brood. Several species are notoriously difficult to distinguish based on external morphology alone.
Leucophora obtusa
satellite fly
Leucophora obtusa is a satellite fly in the family Anthomyiidae that parasitizes the larvae of Andrena bees. The species is found across Japan, Europe, and North America. It is notoriously difficult to distinguish from other Leucophora species and is characterized by being particularly hairy. The common name "satellite fly" refers to the female's behavior of hovering or "orbiting" around bee nests.
Macronychia
satellite flies
Macronychia is a genus of satellite flies in the family Sarcophagidae, first described by Rondani in 1859. The genus comprises at least 20 described species. These flies are kleptoparasitic, meaning they exploit the food resources or nesting provisions of other organisms rather than collecting their own. They are associated with solitary bees and wasps, where they lay eggs in or near host nests.
Madizinae
freeloader flies
Madizinae is a subfamily of freeloader flies within the family Milichiidae, comprising approximately 8 genera and over 160 described species. Members of this subfamily are small to minute Diptera known for their kleptoparasitic behavior, frequently associating with predatory arthropods to feed on their prey remains. The subfamily includes the genera *Madiza*, *Phyllomyza*, *Desmometopa*, *Leptometopa*, *Neophyllomyza*, *Paramyia*, *Aldrichiomyza*, and *Stomosis*.
Melecta
Mourning Bees, Cuckoo Bees
Melecta is a genus of kleptoparasitic (cuckoo) bees in the family Apidae, commonly known as mourning bees. The genus contains at least 50 described species. Females are cleptoparasites that enter host bee nests to lay eggs, with their larvae consuming the pollen and nectar provisions intended for the host's offspring.
Metopia argyrocephala
satellite fly
Metopia argyrocephala is a kleptoparasitic satellite fly in the family Sarcophagidae. Unlike most kleptoparasitic flies that specialize on either bees or wasps, this species has been documented developing in nests of both hymenopteran groups. Adult females follow host wasps or bees to their nests and deposit larvae at the entrance, which then crawl inside to parasitize the host's brood. The species is native to Europe and has been recorded across northern Europe including Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Metopia sinipalpis
Metopia sinipalpis is a species of satellite fly in the family Sarcophagidae, subfamily Miltogramminae. The genus Metopia comprises kleptoparasitic flies whose larvae parasitize the nests of solitary wasps. Like other members of this genus, M. sinipalpis likely targets burrowing wasps, with females following host wasps to their nests to deposit larvae. The species was described by Allen in 1926 and is recorded from Brazil (Santa Catarina) and the United States.
Microphor
Microphor is a genus of small to very small flies in the family Dolichopodidae, subfamily Microphorinae. The genus contains at least 16 extant species distributed across the Palaearctic, Oriental, Nearctic, and potentially Neotropical realms. Females exhibit kleptoparasitic behavior, stealing tiny prey from spider webs. The genus is characterized by specific morphological traits including eyes without ommatrichia, a scutellum with three or more pairs of setae, and distinctive wing venation.
Milichiella arcuata
freeloader fly
Milichiella arcuata is a species of freeloader fly in the family Milichiidae, known for kleptoparasitic behavior. The species was first described by Loew in 1876 under the basionym Lobioptera arcuata. Like other members of its family, it is attracted to predatory insects and spiders feeding on prey, where it steals food resources. The species is part of a diverse genus within a family specialized in exploiting the kills of other arthropods.
Milichiella bisignata
freeloader fly
Milichiella bisignata is a small dipteran in the family Milichiidae, commonly known as freeloader flies. The species was described by Melander in 1913 from North and Central America. Taxonomic status remains unsettled, with some sources treating it as a junior synonym of Milichiella lucidula while others maintain it as a valid species. Members of this genus are kleptoparasites, attracted to predatory insects and spiders actively consuming prey.
Milichiella lacteipennis
freeloader fly
Milichiella lacteipennis is a small, dark-colored fly in the family Milichiidae, commonly known as freeloader flies. The species has a cosmopolitan distribution, having been recorded from the Galápagos Islands, Japan, Madeira, Hawaii, and Argentina. It is a kleptoparasite that feeds on fluids from prey captured by predatory insects, particularly heteropteran bugs. The species was described by Loew in 1866.
Milichiidae
freeloader flies, jackal flies, filth flies
Milichiidae is a family of minute acalyptrate flies comprising approximately 250 species in 19 genera across three subfamilies (Madizinae, Milichiinae, Phyllomyzinae). Adults are best known for kleptoparasitic behavior, feeding on bodily fluids of prey captured by predatory invertebrates such as spiders, assassin bugs, and mantids. They are attracted to olfactory cues released by killed prey, particularly Heteroptera and Hymenoptera. Larvae develop in decaying organic matter including rotting vegetation, wood, bark, manure, and carrion. Some species have forensic importance due to association with corpses, while others exhibit myrmecophilous associations or phoretic behaviors.
Miltogramminae
Satellite Flies
Miltogramminae is a subfamily of flesh flies (Sarcophagidae) commonly known as satellite flies. They are obligate kleptoparasites that exploit the prey provisions of solitary bees and wasps, depositing their larvae on or near host-captured prey items. The subfamily has a global distribution with notable diversity in the Afrotropical, Palearctic, and Nearctic regions. Their common name derives from the behavior of adult females 'orbiting' host wasps to locate nests.
Myrmecophilus americanus
American ant cricket, ant cricket
Myrmecophilus americanus is a wingless cricket that lives as an obligate parasite within ant nests. It is kleptoparasitic, feeding on food scraps brought by worker ants and encouraging them to regurgitate food. The species shows host specificity to the longhorn crazy ant (Paratrechina longicornis), though occasional records from other ant species exist. Its body shape and size resemble the gaster of the ant queen, possibly assisting its integration into the colony through mimicry.
Myrmosidae
Myrmosid Wasps
Myrmosidae is a small family of wasps in the superfamily Vespoidea, sister taxon to Sapygidae. Formerly treated as a subfamily of Mutillidae, it was elevated to family status in 2008 based on molecular and morphological evidence. Females are flightless and kleptoparasitic, entering nests of fossorial bees and wasps. The family contains approximately 10 genera and is distributed globally, though many regions remain understudied.
Neolarra
Neolarra is a genus of minute cuckoo bees in the family Apidae, containing approximately 16 described species restricted to North America. These bees are kleptoparasites that target nests of Perdita bees, laying eggs that hatch into larvae that consume the host's provisions and offspring. Adults are exceptionally small, measuring less than a grain of rice. The genus was first described in 1890 by Ashmead, who initially misclassified it as a wasp genus.
Neolarra vigilans
Neolarra vigilans is a kleptoparasitic cuckoo bee in the family Apidae. The species is known for its parasitic lifestyle, infiltrating the nests of host bees to lay its eggs. Its geographic range extends from northern Mexico to southern Canada, with a notable northward range extension documented in Oregon.
Neopasites cressoni
Neopasites cressoni is a kleptoparasitic (cuckoo) bee in the family Apidae, tribe Biastini. It is native to North America and targets hosts in the genus Hesperapis, a group of ground-nesting bees. Like other members of the Nomadinae subfamily, females lack pollen-collecting structures and rely entirely on host nests for reproduction. The species was described by Crawford in 1916.
Neospintharus trigonum
Horned Parasitic Cobweaver, Dewdrop Spider
Neospintharus trigonum is a species of cobweb spider in the family Theridiidae, found in the United States and Canada. This small spider has been documented as a kleptoparasite, living in the webs of larger orb-weaving spiders and stealing their captured prey. Females produce clutches of approximately 42 eggs, each about 0.67 mm in diameter. The species was previously classified in the genus Argyrodes but has been reclassified to Neospintharus.
Nolidae
Tufted Moths, Tuft Moths
Nolidae is a family of small to medium-sized moths within the superfamily Noctuoidea, comprising approximately 1,400-1,700 described species worldwide. Members are characterized by relatively dull coloration and, in the subfamilies Nolinae and Collomeninae, distinctive tufts of raised scales on the forewings. The family was historically treated as a subfamily of Noctuidae but is now recognized as distinct based on morphological and molecular evidence. A defining feature of the family is the construction of a silk cocoon with a vertical exit slit for pupal emergence.
Nomada
Nomad Bees, Cuckoo Bees
Nomada is one of the largest genera in the family Apidae, with over 850 species worldwide. These bees are kleptoparasites that lay eggs in the nests of other bees, primarily ground-nesting species in the genus Andrena. Adult bees lack pollen-carrying scopa and are mostly hairless, feeding on nectar but not collecting pollen for offspring. The genus name derives from the Greek word for 'roaming' or 'wandering,' reflecting their parasitic lifestyle.