Kleptoparasites
Guides
Anthomyiidae
root-maggot flies, kelp flies, anthomyiid flies
Anthomyiidae is a large family of Muscoidea flies commonly known as root-maggot flies or kelp flies. Most species are small to moderate in size with drab grey to black coloration, though some genera such as Pegomya are yellow and others display black-and-white or black-and-silvery-grey patterns. The family exhibits diverse larval habits: many feed in stems and roots of plants, some are scavengers in birds' nests, others are leaf miners, and a few are kleptoparasites or inquilines. Several species are significant agricultural pests, particularly in the genus Delia.
Halictidae
sweat bees, halictid bees
Halictidae is the second-largest family of bees with nearly 4,500 described species worldwide. Commonly called sweat bees, many species are attracted to human perspiration to obtain dissolved salts and electrolytes. The family exhibits remarkable diversity in social organization, ranging from solitary to primitively eusocial species, and includes the taxon for which the term "eusocial" was originally coined. Halictids are important pollinators of wildflowers and some agricultural crops.
Metopia
satellite flies
Metopia is a genus of kleptoparasitic flies in the family Sarcophagidae, subfamily Miltogramminae, commonly known as 'satellite flies.' The genus contains at least 50 described species. Adult females are known to follow solitary wasps back to their nest burrows, where they deposit live larvae at the entrance. These larvae then enter the burrow and parasitize the wasp larvae or their provisioned prey. This behavior has been documented with hosts including beewolves (Philanthus), thread-waisted wasps (Ammophila), and ant-queen kidnappers (Aphilanthops).
Pompilidae
Spider Wasps, Spider-hunting Wasps, Pompilid Wasps
Spider wasps in the family Pompilidae are solitary, stinging wasps that hunt spiders to provision nests for their larvae. The family contains approximately 5,000 described species in six subfamilies, distributed worldwide. Most species capture and paralyze spiders using venom, then deposit them in burrows or cavities where a single egg is laid on each victim. Females of the genus Auplopus construct distinctive free-standing mud cells, while most other genera excavate burrows in soil or use pre-existing cavities. Members of the subfamily Ceropalinae are kleptoparasites, laying eggs in the nests of other pompilids or acting as ectoparasitoids of living spiders rather than building their own nests.
Hymenopterasolitary-waspsspider-predatorsparasitoidsmud-nest-buildersburrowing-waspsant-mimicskleptoparasitesPepsinaeCeropalinaePompilinaeAuplopusAnopliusAgeniellaCaliadurgusPepsisPriocnemisAplocharesArachnospilaEvagetesAgenioideusEpisyronNanoclaveliaPedinpompilusAgenioidevatetesNorth-AmericaAustraliaIranEuropecosmopolitan