Parasitoid-host
Guides
Urocerus flavicornis
Yellow-horned Horntail, Yellow-horned Horntail Wasp
Urocerus flavicornis is a large wood-boring wasp in the family Siricidae, commonly known as the yellow-horned horntail. Native to North America, this species develops inside dead or dying hardwood trees. Adults are active primarily in late summer and fall. The species is non-venomous and poses no threat to humans despite its intimidating appearance.
Urocerus taxodii
Taxodium horntail
Urocerus taxodii is a species of woodwasp in the family Siricidae, described by Ashmead in 1904. As a member of the genus Urocerus, it shares the characteristic elongated, cylindrical body form and prominent cornus (horn-like projection at the abdomen tip) typical of horntails. The species is associated with Taxodium (cypress/bald cypress) as a larval host, as indicated by its specific epithet. Like other siricids, females possess a long ovipositor for drilling into wood to deposit eggs, and they vector wood-decaying fungi that serve as food for their larvae.
Xanthopastis
Spanish moth
Xanthopastis is a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae, established by Hübner in 1821. The genus contains at least three described species, including Xanthopastis timais, commonly known as the Spanish moth. Members of this genus are notable for their association with ornamental plants and their role as hosts for parasitoid flies. The Spanish moth has been documented as a pest of amaryllis cultivation.
Xiphydria
wood wasps, xiphydriid wood wasps
Xiphydria is a genus of wood wasps in the family Xiphydriidae, distributed across the Holarctic region including Europe, Asia, and North America. Adults are characterized by a distinctive elongated 'neck' formed by the long propleuron, antennae with approximately 20 segments, and mandibles with four teeth. Females oviposit into diseased or dead wood of broadleaf trees and vector symbiotic fungi that decompose wood for larval consumption. The genus is univoltine with one generation per year. While generally of minor economic importance, some species can damage oak and other hardwoods.
Xiphydria canadensis
Canadian Wood Wasp
Xiphydria canadensis is a species of wood wasp in the family Xiphydriidae, native to North America. Wood wasps in this family are characterized by their elongated bodies and long ovipositors used to drill into wood to deposit eggs. The species is known to be a host for parasitic ichneumonid wasps, specifically Rhyssella nitida, which uses its long ovipositor to reach the wood wasp larvae inside logs and dead trees. Adults are active during spring and early summer.
Xiphydria maculata
Spotted Wood Wasp
Xiphydria maculata is a wood wasp in the family Xiphydriidae. Adults are known to visit flowers for nectar. The larvae develop as borers in dead or dying hardwood trees, particularly maple and other deciduous species. This species is part of a group of primitive wasps that lack the narrow waist characteristic of most other Hymenoptera.
Xiphydria polia
Xiphydria polia is a species of wood-wasp in the family Xiphydriidae, a group of sawfly-relatives within Hymenoptera. Like other xiphydriids, it is a wood-boring insect whose larvae develop inside dead or dying hardwood trees. The family is characterized by a distinctive cornus—a spine-like projection at the tip of the abdomen present in both sexes. Very little specific information is documented for X. polia compared to better-known relatives such as Xiphydria maculata or the pigeon tremex (Tremex columba).
Xiphydria tibialis
Xiphydria tibialis is a species of wood wasp in the family Xiphydriidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1824. It is one of several species in the genus Xiphydria, which are known as wood wasps due to their larvae developing in dead or dying wood. The species is native to North America. Limited observational data exists for this species, with only 8 documented observations on iNaturalist as of the source date.
Zale bethunei
Bethune's Zale Moth, Bethune's zale
Zale bethunei is a moth species in the family Erebidae, first described by Smith in 1908. Commonly known as Bethune's Zale Moth, it occurs in North America. The species is assigned MONA (Moths of North America) Hodges number 8705. It belongs to the genus Zale, a group of moths whose larvae are known to serve as hosts for certain parasitoid wasps, including Ammophila nigricans.
Zale confusa
Confused Zale Moth
Zale confusa is an owlet moth in the family Erebidae, first described by James Halliday McDunnough in 1940. It is found in North America. The species is assigned MONA/Hodges number 8701. The caterpillars of Zale moths are known hosts of the parasitoid wasp Ammophila nigricans.
Zale declarans
Dixie Zale Moth
Zale declarans, commonly known as the Dixie Zale Moth, is a species of owlet moth in the family Erebidae. It occurs in North America and is one of numerous Zale species that serve as host caterpillars for parasitoid wasps, particularly the sphecid wasp Ammophila nigricans. The species was originally described by Francis Walker in 1858 under the name Homoptera declarans.
Zale strigimacula
Little Lined Zale
Zale strigimacula, commonly known as the Little Lined Zale, is a species of moth in the family Erebidae. It belongs to the genus Zale, a group of owlet moths whose caterpillars feed on various woody plants. The species is part of the diverse North American noctuid fauna and is known to be a host for parasitoid wasps including Ammophila nigricans. The genus Zale is taxonomically complex with many similar species, making field identification challenging.
Zaprionus
Fig Flies
Zaprionus is a genus of fruit flies in the family Drosophilidae, distinguished by conspicuous white longitudinal stripes across the head and thorax. The genus is divided into two subgenera based on stripe number: Zaprionus (even number of stripes) and Anaprionus (odd number of stripes). Species occur primarily in Africa and southern Asia, with several species showing invasive expansion. The genus is taxonomically nested within the paraphyletic genus Drosophila.
Drosophilidaefruit-fliesinvasive-specieszebra-stripesAfrotropicalOrientalagricultural-pestfermenting-fruitparasitoid-hostkleptoparasitismoviscapt-structureegg-filamentsfig-pestgrape-pestberry-pesttropicalsubgenus-Zaprionussubgenus-Anaprionuscompetitive-displacementsecondary-pestmonitoringvinegar-traprange-expansionMediterranean-invasionNew-World-invasionHawaiian-IslandsSoutheast-AsiaWest-Africapolyphagousdecomposernutrient-cyclingPachycrepoideus-vindemiaeSpalangia-endiusLeptopilina-boulardiinterspecific-competitiondevelopmental-plasticitytemperature-effectsfungal-interactionsPichia-kudriavzeviiCoquillett-1901taxonomic-revisionmolecular-phylogeneticsforeleg-spinestrichome-structureslight-polarizationcuticular-pigmentationspecies-groups-armatus-inermis-vittiger-neglectusspecies-subgroups-armatus-tuberculatus-vrydaghi-montanus-spinosus-inermis-tuberculatus-sepsoides-davidi-indianus-ornatus-proximus-sexvittatus-vittigerspecies-complexes-armatus-hoplophorus-vrydaghi-sepsoides-tuberculatus-davidi-indianus-ornatus-proximus-sexvittatus-vittigerZ.-africanusZ.-armatusZ.-bogoriensisZ.-burlaiZ.-camerounensisZ.-campestrisZ.-capensisZ.-cercociliarisZ.-cercusZ.-davidiZ.-enoplomerusZ.-flavofasciatusZ.-fumipennisZ.-gabonicusZ.-ghesquiereiZ.-grandisZ.-hoplophorusZ.-inermisZ.-indianusZ.-kolodkinaeZ.-koroleuZ.-lachaiseiZ.-lineosusZ.-litosZ.-mascariensisZ.-momorticusZ.-montanusZ.-multistriatusZ.-multivittigerZ.-neglectusZ.-niabuZ.-obscuricornisZ.-ornatusZ.-proximusZ.-pyinoolwinensisZ.-santomensisZ.-sepsoidesZ.-seguyiZ.-serratusZ.-sexstriatusZ.-sexvittatusZ.-silvistriatusZ.-spinilineosusZ.-spinipesZ.-spinoarmatusZ.-spineusZ.-spinosusZ.-taronusZ.-tsacasiZ.-tuberarmatusZ.-tuberculatusZ.-verrucaZ.-vittigerZ.-vrydaghiZ.-aungsaniZ.-arduusZ.-badyiZ.-orissaensisZodarion
Ant Spiders
Zodarion is a genus of ant-eating spiders in the family Zodariidae, comprising over 150 described species. These spiders are specialized predators that employ aggressive mimicry to hunt ants, and are found across Eurasia, North Africa, and North America. They are notable for constructing distinctive igloo-shaped stone retreats for daytime shelter.
Zygogramma exclamationis
sunflower beetle
Zygogramma exclamationis, the sunflower beetle, is a leaf-feeding chrysomelid beetle native to North America. Adults emerge from hibernation in late spring to early summer, coinciding with sunflower seedling emergence, and feed on young leaves. Larvae develop through summer, feeding nocturnally on foliage while hiding in flower bracts during daylight hours. The species completes one generation per year, with new adults emerging in late summer before overwintering in soil. It is a recognized pest of cultivated sunflowers, particularly damaging to seedlings, and serves as host for parasitoid tachinid flies including Myiopharus neilli.