Parasite-host
Guides
Baetis bicaudatus
small minnow mayfly
Baetis bicaudatus is a small minnow mayfly in the family Baetidae, described by Dodds in 1923. It inhabits streams across western North America from Alaska to the southwestern United States and northern Canada. The species is bivoltine, producing two generations annually, with distinct summer and winter generations that differ in size and susceptibility to parasitism. Adults exhibit characteristic mayfly behavior including swarming mating aggregations, while nymphs are important grazers on periphyton in stream ecosystems.
Blaberus craniifer
Death's Head Cockroach, Death's-head Cockroach
Blaberus craniifer is a large cockroach species distinguished by the distinctive jack-o'-lantern marking on its pronotum. It exhibits complex sexual behavior including male-produced substrate vibrations and sex pheromones for long-distance female attraction, followed by stereotyped courtship rituals and post-copulatory mate guarding. Unlike the closely related Periplaneta americana, this species shows reduced wind-mediated escape responses and prefers digging behaviors when disturbed. It serves as a host for specific gregarine and nematode parasites that occupy different gut regions without significantly affecting host growth, indicating long co-evolutionary adaptation. The species is valued in entomological collections and hobbyist rearing due to its striking appearance and minimal care requirements.
Buenoa scimitra
backswimmer
Buenoa scimitra is a backswimmer (Hemiptera: Notonectidae) first described by Bare in 1925. It inhabits freshwater environments across North America, the Caribbean, and Middle America. The species is a documented predator of mosquito larvae and serves as a known host for the parasitic water mite Hydrachna virella, which attaches to multiple instars and adults.
Caecidotea
Caecidotea is a genus of freshwater isopods in the family Asellidae, containing over 100 described species in North America. Species occupy diverse aquatic habitats including surface waters (ponds, streams) and subterranean environments (caves, aquifers). The genus has been extensively studied for parasite-host interactions, particularly involving acanthocephalan parasites that modify host behavior. Some species exhibit morphological adaptations to subterranean life including reduced eyes and pigmentation.
Dianthidium pudicum pudicum
Dianthidium pudicum pudicum is a subspecies of resin bee in the family Megachilidae. Like other members of the genus Dianthidium, it constructs nests using plant resins, creating distinctive resin plugs and partitions within pre-existing cavities such as hollow twigs or beetle borings. The subspecies was described by Cresson in 1879 and occurs in North America.
Dianthidium texanum
Texas Pebble Bee
Dianthidium texanum is a species of resin bee in the family Megachilidae, commonly known as the Texas Pebble Bee. Native to North and Middle America, this solitary bee constructs nests in pre-existing cavities such as hollow twigs or beetle borings, using resin to partition cells and seal the nest entrance. The species has been documented in bee block monitoring studies and is known to be parasitized by leucospid wasps. Adults are active during summer months and visit flowers for nectar and pollen.
Enallagma civile
Familiar Bluet
Enallagma civile, commonly known as the familiar bluet, is a narrowwinged damselfly native to much of the United States and southern Canada. This species is a habitat generalist and predatory insect that has been extensively studied as a model organism for understanding climate change effects on aquatic invertebrates. Research indicates that rising water temperatures significantly impact its development, survival, and adult body size, with temperatures above 38°C causing substantial mortality. The species produces multiple generations per year and serves as host to various parasites including Arrenurus water mites and gregarine protozoans.
Gryllus
field cricket
Gryllus is a widespread genus of field crickets in the family Gryllidae, with members found across Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Adults typically measure 15–31 mm and are darkly colored. Species in this genus are often difficult to distinguish from related genera based on external morphology alone; male genitalia, particularly the structure of the epithallus, provide more reliable identification characters. The genus has been extensively studied for its acoustic communication, with male calling songs used for mate attraction and territorial defense.
Habropoda miserabilis
silver digger bee
Habropoda miserabilis, commonly known as the silver digger bee, is a solitary ground-nesting bee native to western North America. This species was historically abundant in coastal sand dune habitats but declined dramatically by the mid-20th century due to habitat loss from invasive plant encroachment. Recent habitat restoration efforts have enabled population recoveries at several sites. The species serves as a host for the parasitic blister beetle Meloe franciscanus, which has evolved sophisticated chemical mimicry to exploit the bee's mating system.
Habropoda pallida
pallid habropoda, white-faced bee
Habropoda pallida is a solitary ground-nesting bee in the family Apidae. It is the first native bee to emerge in spring on the Kelso Dunes in the Mojave National Preserve. The species has been extensively studied for its chemical communication system, which involves long-chain hydrocarbon sex pheromones. It serves as a host for the parasitic blister beetle Meloe franciscanus, whose larvae mimic the bee's pheromone signals to gain entry to nests. Females provision nests with pollen, with documented use of Larrea tridentata pollen.
Hydrometra australis
water measurer
Hydrometra australis is a species of water measurer bug in the family Hydrometridae. It inhabits aquatic environments across the Caribbean, Central America, and North America. The species has been documented as a host for parasitic water mites, which can affect its population dynamics.
Ischnura verticalis
Eastern Forktail
Ischnura verticalis, the Eastern Forktail, is a small damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae. Larvae exhibit behavioral thermoregulation through depth selection in water columns, moving deeper at higher temperatures and shallower when cooler. Development is temperature- and prey-dependent, with faster development at higher temperatures and food availability. Males typically develop faster than females, with sexual differences in larval behavior and instar progression. Adults emerge over extended periods, with univoltine life cycles in temperate populations.
Leprus
blue-winged grasshoppers
Leprus is a genus of band-winged grasshoppers in the family Acrididae, commonly known as blue-winged grasshoppers. The genus contains at least three described species: L. elephas, L. intermedius (Saussure's blue-winged grasshopper), and L. wheelerii (Wheeler's blue-winged grasshopper). These grasshoppers are notable for their distinctive blue or yellow hindwings, which are concealed at rest but revealed during flight. They inhabit arid and semi-arid regions of western North America, particularly the Chihuahuan Desert.
Leprus wheelerii
Wheeler's Blue-winged Grasshopper
Leprus wheelerii is a band-winged grasshopper found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. The species exhibits a notable wing color dimorphism: most populations display blue wings, but a yellow-winged morph occurs in Luna County, New Mexico. This grasshopper feeds primarily on creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) and is an important component of Chihuahuan Desert ecosystems, contributing to biomass, soil nutrient cycling, and plant growth stimulation.
Leucorrhinia frigida
Frosted Whiteface
Leucorrhinia frigida, commonly known as the frosted whiteface, is a dragonfly species in the family Libellulidae. It is found in northeastern North America, including the northeastern United States and southern Canada. The species has been documented as a host for parasitic mites, with research showing distinct patterns of mite infestation correlated with host age and behavior.
Lypha
Lypha is a genus of tachinid flies comprising approximately 30 described species distributed across multiple continents. The genus was established by Robineau-Desvoidy in 1830. Species have been recorded from North America, South America, Africa, and Europe. At least one species, Lypha dubia, has been documented as a parasitoid host for trypanosomatid parasites.
Meconema thalassinum
Oak Bush-cricket, Drumming Katydid
Meconema thalassinum is a small, pale green arboreal bush-cricket in the family Tettigoniidae. Native to Europe, it is the only native arboreal Orthopteran species in the UK and has been introduced to North America within the last 75 years. Males attract females through a unique non-stridulatory method: drumming their hind limbs against leaves to produce vibrations. Unlike most bush-crickets, this species is carnivorous, feeding on invertebrate prey.
Munididae
Munidid Squat Lobsters
Munididae is a family of squat lobsters (Decapoda: Anomura) taxonomically separated from Galatheidae in 2010. Members are predominantly deep-water taxa distinguished by a trispinose frontal edge to the carapace, a central rostrum, and two spines extending forward from above the eyes. The family exhibits substantial cryptic diversity, with species often distinguishable only by subtle morphological differences in telson shape and pereopod dactyli. Reproductive strategies vary, with Munididae typically producing numerous small eggs compared to related families.
Myrmica incompleta
Incomplete Furrowed Ant
Myrmica incompleta is a species of ant in the family Formicidae, described by Provancher in 1881. It serves as a known host for the parasitic ant Formicoxenus provancheri, representing a documented host-parasite relationship within ant communities. The species belongs to the diverse genus Myrmica, which includes ants known for associations with various myrmecophilous organisms.
Nemobius sylvestris
Wood Cricket
Nemobius sylvestris, commonly known as the wood cricket, is a small, flightless cricket native to Western Europe and North Africa. Adults measure 7–10 mm (males) or 9–12 mm (females) and are dark brown with reduced, non-functional wings. The species inhabits woodland edges and clearings, where it lives among leaf litter and is closely associated with deciduous trees such as oak, beech, hazel, and holly. It has been introduced to North America, with populations documented in New York and Washington. In Britain, it is uncommon and listed as a species of special conservation concern, with populations restricted to the New Forest, Isle of Wight, and southern Devon.
Orchelimum gladiator
Gladiator Meadow Katydid, Gladiator Katydid
Orchelimum gladiator is a meadow katydid in the family Tettigoniidae, characterized by its pale green coloration with variable dark brown markings on the occiput and pronotum. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in size, with females larger than males. It inhabits grasslands and meadows near water sources across the northern United States. The species is known to be parasitized by horsehair worms.
Pachygrapsus transversus
Mottled Shore Crab
A small to medium-sized shore crab native to the western Atlantic, ranging from the eastern United States through the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. The species inhabits rocky and hard substrates in intertidal zones, where it is commonly found in crevices and under rocks. Reproductive studies indicate it breeds in the Brazilian temperate zone, with specific population dynamics documented in that region. The species serves as a host for multiple parasites including the bopyrid isopod Leidya bimini and the rhizocephalan barnacle Sacculina carcini.
Pagurus acadianus
Acadian hermit crab
Pagurus acadianus is a marine hermit crab species in the family Paguridae, first described by J.E. Benedict in 1901 from specimens in the western Atlantic. It is distinguished from the closely related Pagurus bernhardus by morphological features including larger eyestalks, shorter chelae fingers, and sharper chelipeds. The species inhabits rocky intertidal zones and exhibits seasonal population fluctuations, with peak abundance in June and reduced activity from November through March. It has been documented as the most abundant hermit crab in some Maine localities, though 95.4% of museum records represent preserved specimens rather than living observations.
Pagurus hirsutiusculus
Pacific Hairy Hermit Crab, Hairy Hermit Crab
Pagurus hirsutiusculus is a small marine hermit crab found along the North Pacific coast from Alaska to California and Japan. Adults reach up to 70 mm body length in northern populations, with southern populations being smaller and less hairy. The species is distinguished by dense body hair, white and blue bands on walking legs, and grayish-brown antennae with white bands. It inhabits the intertidal zone to depths of 110 m, commonly occupying empty gastropod shells for protection.
Panopeus lacustris
knot-fingered mud crab
Panopeus lacustris, commonly known as the knot-fingered mud crab, is a small true crab (infraorder Brachyura) in the family Panopeidae. It is distinguished by unequal-sized chelae, with the larger claw being exceptionally broad, knobbly, and bearing teeth in the molar area with an immobile finger. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in size, with males typically larger than females. It is native to the subtropical western Atlantic but has been introduced to Hawaii and the Pacific coast of California. The species serves as a host for the parasitic barnacle Loxothylacus panopaei, which manipulates crab behavior and causes functional castration.
Petrolisthes armatus
Green Porcelain Crab
Petrolisthes armatus, commonly known as the green porcelain crab, is a small porcellanid crab native to the southwestern Atlantic, particularly Brazil. The species has established invasive populations along the southeastern United States coast, where densities can exceed 30,000 individuals per square meter. Genetic studies confirm it as a single monophyletic species with exceptional geographic range spanning the Atlantic and eastern Pacific. It is frequently parasitized by the bopyrid isopod Aporobopyrus curtatus, which causes parasitic castration.
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beewolf
Philanthus crabroniformis is a species of bee-hunting wasp, commonly known as a 'beewolf,' native to North America. The species belongs to the family Crabronidae and primarily preys upon bees in the family Halictidae. Females construct nests in sandy soils and provision them with paralyzed prey for their larval offspring. The species has been documented in sympatry with P. gibbosus, with which it shares similar prey preferences but exhibits distinctive nest approach behaviors that may represent an evolutionary response to parasitic pressure from miltogrammine flies.
Phyllophaga rugosa
rugose June beetle
Phyllophaga rugosa, commonly known as the rugose June beetle, is a scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It occurs across much of North America, with documented records from Canada and the United States. Like other members of the genus Phyllophaga, it is a nocturnal beetle often attracted to lights. The species has been identified as an intermediary host for the giant thorn-headed worm of swine (Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus).
Phyllophaga vehemens
Phyllophaga vehemens is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, commonly known as a May beetle or June beetle. It occurs in North America, with documented records from multiple U.S. states across the Midwest and South. The species has been identified as an intermediary host for the giant thorn-headed worm of swine (Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus), an acanthocephalan parasite. As with other Phyllophaga species, adults are likely nocturnal and attracted to lights.
Pogonomyrmex rugosus
Rough Harvester Ant, Desert Harvester Ant
Pogonomyrmex rugosus, commonly known as the rough harvester ant or desert harvester ant, is a seed-harvesting ant species endemic to the southwestern United States. The species is notable for its large colony sizes reaching up to 15,000 workers, its use of permanent trunk trails for group foraging, and its potent venomous sting rated at level 3 on the Schmidt Sting Pain Index. Research has demonstrated that trophic eggs play a previously unknown role in caste determination, with larvae developing into workers when fed trophic eggs and into queens when deprived of them. The species serves as a host for two workerless parasitic ant species, Pogonomyrmex anergismus and Pogonomyrmex colei.
Prosimulium mixtum
Mixed-up Black Fly
Prosimulium mixtum is a species of black fly in the family Simuliidae, commonly known as the mixed-up black fly. It is native to North America and has been studied in the context of spring snowmelt environments and physiological responses to environmental stressors. The species is part of the Prosimulium fuscum/mixtum complex, which has historically caused taxonomic confusion. Adults are small blood-feeding flies, with females requiring blood meals for egg development.
Rabidosa
Rabid Wolf Spiders, Dotted Wolf Spiders
Rabidosa is a genus of wolf spiders (family Lycosidae) established by Roewer in 1960. The genus contains five recognized species distributed in North America, with most species restricted to the United States. These are medium to large-sized, ground-dwelling spiders with characteristic patterning on the dorsal abdomen. Members of this genus have been subjects of behavioral research, particularly regarding mating systems and thermal ecology. Several species are known hosts for parasitic mantisfly larvae.
Schizocosa retrorsa
Schizocosa retrorsa is a wolf spider species in the family Lycosidae, found in the United States and Mexico. As a member of the genus Schizocosa, it shares characteristics with other wolf spiders including ground-dwelling habits and active hunting behavior. The species has been recorded as a host for the mantidfly Climaciella brunnea, whose larvae parasitize spider egg sacs.
Schizocosa saltatrix
Schizocosa saltatrix is a species of wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, first described by Hentz in 1844. It occurs in North America and shares the characteristic traits of its genus, including ground-dwelling habits and active hunting behavior. The species has been documented as a host for parasitic mantidfly larvae, specifically Climaciella brunnea.
Stenodynerus taosoides
Stenodynerus taosoides is a species of mason wasp in the subfamily Eumeninae (family Vespidae). Members of the genus Stenodynerus are solitary wasps that construct nests in pre-existing cavities, provisioning them with paralyzed caterpillars as food for their larval offspring. The species name suggests a connection to the Taos region of northern New Mexico, though specific details about its distribution and biology remain poorly documented in the available literature.