No-nest-construction

Guides

• Coelioxys coturnix

  Coelioxys coturnix is a cleptoparasitic bee in the family Megachilidae, commonly known as sharp-tailed bees or cuckoo leafcutting bees. As a cleptoparasite, females do not construct their own nests or provision cells with pollen. Instead, they exploit nests of host bees in the genus Megachile, laying eggs in host cells where their larvae kill the host offspring and consume the stored provisions. The species has been documented exhibiting hospicidal behavior, where the parasitic larva actively kills the host egg or larva.

  cleptoparasitecuckoo-beeMegachilidaesolitary-beehospicidal-behaviorsharp-tailed-beecuckoo-leafcutting-beenest-parasiteMegachile-parasitenative-beepollinator-communitybee-hotel-inhabitantlarval-instars-describedPérez-1884PalaearcticNearcticAfrotropicalOrientalmultiple-continentschemical-cue-trackingpopulation-regulationnon-stingingno-nest-constructionpollen-transport-absentabdominal-spinehost-egg-killinglarval-development-on-host-provisionsseasonal-emergence-synchronized-with-hostmale-patrolling-behaviornest-tunnel-entry-during-host-absenceartificial-nesting-block-use-indicatorbee-conservation-indicator-speciesspecialized-parasitenative-bee-diversity-componentno-direct-agricultural-roleobserver-interest-speciesbee-monitoring-targetmorphological-identification-required-for-species-levelgenus-level-traits-well-documentedspecies-specific-details-limited-in-sources

• Vespula infernalis

  cuckoo yellowjacket, American cuckoo yellowjacket

  Vespula infernalis is an obligate social parasite (inquiline) that invades and usurps colonies of other yellowjacket species, primarily Vespula acadica in North America. Unlike most parasitic wasps, it exhibits intensely aggressive behavior during colony takeover, using specialized morphological adaptations including a large, heavily curved stinger to subdue host workers. The species lacks a worker caste and cannot build nests or rear its own young, instead forcing host workers to feed and care for its brood through dominance behaviors including mauling and forced trophallaxis.

  social-parasiteinquilinecuckoo-waspyellowjacketaggressive-parasitismVespulaHymenopteraNearcticboreal-forestVespula-acadicaforced-trophallaxismauling-behaviorcurved-stingerno-worker-casteobligate-parasitismDufour's-glandoogenesis-suppressionfourth-mandibular-toothKimsey-&-Carpenter-2012Vespula-austriaca-sister-speciesshort-flight-seasonJune-to-SeptemberCanadaUnited-StatesAlaskaNew-JerseyMichiganWisconsinNorth-DakotaNew-MexicoArizonaCaliforniastable-populationsubterranean-nestshost-queen-usurpationhost-worker-manipulationreproductive-monopolyvenom-paralyzes-hostsminimal-foragingno-nest-constructionno-thermoregulation-behavioregg-laying-on-comb-exteriorautumn-queen-productionlonger-hibernation-than-hostspreusurpation-phasequeen-reared-worker-stage-invasionpost-emergence-colony-stage-invasionpatrol-behaviorcell-inspectiondominance-assertionevolutionary-strategy-kill-older-workers-firstworker-oviposition-suppressiongastral-draggingoophagy-absenttrophallaxis-solicitationforced-feeding-1-43-secondsvenom-LD50-20-30-mg/kg-workersvenom-LD50-81-mg/kg-queensvenom-not-more-lethal-than-non-parasitic-congenersDufour's-gland-hypertrophyclear-oily-gland-materialreproductive-organs-include-ovaries-poison-gland-Dufour's-glandnew-fall-wasps-empty-glandolder-wasps-flat-gland-with-little-oiloviposition-interrupted-by-workersmauling-response-to-interruption2012-species-recognitionpre-2012-literature-as-V.-austriacaNearctic-endemicboreal-region-specialisthost-nest-size-reductionecosystem-impact-through-host-suppressionChris-Alice-Kratzer-The-Social-Wasps-of-North-AmericaiNaturalist-observationsGBIF-accepted-taxonomyde-Saussure-1854-original-descriptionKimsey-Carpenter-2012-revisionVespidae-familyHymenoptera-orderInsecta-classArthropoda-phylumAnimalia-kingdomspecies-rankcuckoo-yellowjacket-common-nameAmerican-cuckoo-yellowjacket-alternative-name76-iNaturalist-observationsstable-conservation-statusnot-rare-throughout-rangeall-Canadian-provinces-territorieswestern-US-distributioneastern-US-distributionsubterranean-host-nestsrotting-stump-host-nestsenclosed-space-host-nestsqueen-paralysis-during-usurpationworker-injury-during-invasionantennal-damageleg-damagehost-queen-mandible-restrainthost-worker-mandible-defensealarm-pheromone-contextmultiple-stings-limitedbarbed-stinger-presentstinger-loss-during-attackfatal-attack-sacrificevenom-evolution-vertebrate-painSchmidt-Sting-Pain-Index-not-ratedice-treatment-for-stingsallergic-reaction-medical-attentiondesensitization-therapy-availablepest-control-commercial-operatorsaerosol-spray-evening-applicationnest-avoidance-recommendednest-elimination-if-threateningclear-bottles-drink-safetydrink-boxes-straws-childrenpicnic-trash-container-avoidancefood-covering-recruitment-reductiongentle-brushing-vs-swattingalarm-pheromone-releasechemical-attack-signalwalking-away-escape-strategybush-walking-evasion-tacticlate-summer-autumn-aggressioncolony-size-thousands-workersfootball-size-nestsperennial-nests-southern-statesVolkswagen-Beetle-nest-reportsmultiple-queens-perennial-coloniesHawaiian-invasive-V.-pensylvanica-contextGerman-yellowjacket-V.-germanica-contextEastern-yellowjacket-V.-maculifrons-contextSouthern-yellowjacket-V.-squamosa-contextWestern-yellowjacket-V.-pensylvanica-contextpaper-wasp-Polistes-dominula-contextEuropean-paper-wasp-introducedWestern-yellowjacket-not-Pennsylvaniaspecies-name-mislabel-originyellowjacket-diversity-208-species22-genera-social-wasps900-color-illustrations-field-guideiNaturalist-community-science-platformCornell-University-Insect-Collection-researchtaxonomic-paper-readinggenetic-barcode-software-alignment1000-hours-iNaturalist-observationsOwlfly-LLC-publishingmechanical-engineering-backgroundclimate-change-mitigation-focusnatural-pest-control-ecosystem-servicepollination-ecosystem-servicecaterpillar-prey-primary-foodgrasshopper-cricket-katydid-moth-butterfly-beetle-fly-earthworm-lanternfly-cockroach-smaller-wasp-small-spider-cicada-preytiny-waist-liquid-feeding-constraintmandible-prey-dismembermentlarval-secretion-dependency-other-queensV.-infernalis-liquid-food-dependencyhost-worker-secretion-solicitationminimal-larval-solicitationforceful-feeding-foreleg-grabbingcomb-pushing-aggressive-feedingtrophallaxis-intensity-decline-later-stagesworker-escape-forced-encountersshort-trophallaxis-1-5-secondslong-trophallaxis-43-secondsvenom-apparatus-shaft-aculeus-Dufour's-gland-venom-glandsvenom-reservoir-size-largest-femalesDufour's-gland-size-largest-femalesoily-venom-extraction-experimentV.-pensylvanica-worker-venom-testV.-pensylvanica-queen-venom-testvenom-paralysis-flying-impairmentvenom-third-supply-worker-killvenom-queen-kill-more-requiredvenom-lethality-comparable-non-parasitesDufour's-gland-material-no-poisonreproductive-organ-complexpreusurpation-gland-clear-oilynew-fall-wasp-gland-empty-flatolder-wasp-gland-flat-little-oilhypertrophy-evidence-neededoviposition-brief-periodegg-placement-varied-locationsworker-interruption-rare-instanceegg-loss-from-cellbrood-care-ho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