Senotainiosis
Guides
Senotainia
satellite flies
Senotainia is a genus of satellite flies in the family Sarcophagidae, subfamily Miltogramminae, containing over 70 described species. These flies are kleptoparasites and parasitoids primarily associated with solitary wasps and bees. Species such as Senotainia tricuspis are significant pests of honey bees (Apis mellifera), causing senotainiosis through larviparous parasitism. Other species including S. vigilans and S. trilineata parasitize thread-waisted wasps and other fossorial hymenopterans. The genus exhibits a distinctive reproductive strategy where females deposit live first-instar larvae directly onto hosts or at nest entrances rather than laying eggs.