Melissodes-parasite

Guides

• Triepeolus eliseae

  Elise's Longhorn-Cuckoo

  Triepeolus eliseae is a species of cuckoo bee in the family Apidae, described by Rightmyer in 2017. As a member of the genus Triepeolus, it is a cleptoparasite that lays eggs in the nests of other bees rather than constructing its own nests or gathering pollen. The species is known from California and is associated with native bee communities in grassland and prairie habitats. Like other Triepeolus species, it is a specialist parasite of long-horned bees (Melissodes and related genera).

  cleptoparasitecuckoo-beeCalifornia-native-beeprairie-pollinatorMelissodes-parasite

• Triepeolus rufithorax

  Florida Longhorn-Cuckoo

  Triepeolus rufithorax is a cleptoparasitic cuckoo bee in the family Apidae, subfamily Nomadinae. As a member of the genus Triepeolus, it parasitizes nests of long-horned bees (Melissodes and related genera). The species is known from North America, with records particularly from Florida and surrounding regions. Like other Triepeolus species, females enter host nests to lay eggs in brood cells provisioned by the host female.

  cuckoo-beecleptoparasiteNomadinaeEpeoliniMelissodes-parasitelong-horned-bee-parasiteNorth-AmericaFloridaApidaeHymenopterapollinatornative-bee