Pompilidae-hosts
Guides
Ephuta
Ephuta is a widespread New World genus of velvet ants (Mutillidae) whose ecology remains poorly understood. The genus contains at least nine described species in Panama alone, with additional undescribed morphospecies. Ephuta species exhibit strong seasonal variation in abundance, peaking during the transition from dry to rainy season. As cleptoparasites, they develop in the nests of spider wasps (Pompilidae), with confirmed host records including Auplopus subaurarius in Brazil.