Solitary-wasp-parasite
Guides
Amobia
Amobia is a genus of satellite flies in the family Sarcophagidae, subfamily Miltogramminae. These dipterans are obligate kleptoparasites of solitary wasps and bees, with females depositing larvae directly into host nests rather than laying eggs. The genus occurs across multiple continents including Australia, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, with species demonstrating specificity toward particular host taxa such as eumenid wasps (Anterhynchium, Orancistrocerus) and various solitary bees and wasps.
Chrysidinae
cuckoo wasps
Chrysidinae is the largest and most familiar subfamily of cuckoo wasps, containing approximately 3000 species across 48 genera worldwide. These wasps are renowned for their brilliant metallic coloration, primarily in blues and greens, and their heavily sculptured exoskeletons. They are obligate brood parasites of solitary bees and wasps, with females incapable of stinging due to modification of the sting apparatus into an egg-laying tube. Their distinctive defensive behavior involves rolling into a ball to protect vulnerable appendages when threatened.
Chrysis coerulans
Cuckoo Wasp
Chrysis coerulans is a species of cuckoo wasp in the family Chrysididae. Like other members of its family, it is a parasitoid that infiltrates the nests of solitary wasps and bees to lay its eggs. The species belongs to the Chrysis coerulans species group, a taxonomically complex assemblage that researchers are still working to fully resolve. These wasps are characterized by their metallic coloration and armored exoskeletons.
Chrysis conica
Chrysis conica is a species of cuckoo wasp in the family Chrysididae, first described by Brullé in 1846. Like other members of the genus Chrysis, it is a parasitoid that lays its eggs in the nests of other solitary wasps or bees. The larva consumes the host's provisions and developing offspring. Adults are typically metallic in coloration, a characteristic feature of the family.
Chrysis lucifera
Chrysis lucifera is a species of cuckoo wasp in the family Chrysididae, first described by Bohart in 1982. Like other members of its genus, it is a cleptoparasite that lays eggs in the nests of solitary wasps and bees, where its larvae consume the host's provisioned food. The species exhibits the characteristic brilliant metallic coloration and armored exoskeleton typical of cuckoo wasps. Specific details about its host associations and geographic range remain limited in published literature.
Chrysis nitidula-complex
The Chrysis nitidula-complex is a species group of cuckoo wasps (family Chrysididae) characterized by metallic coloration and parasitic life history. Members of this complex are kleptoparasites that lay eggs in the nests of other solitary wasps, particularly mason wasps. The larvae consume the prey provisions intended for the host's offspring. Species within this complex are difficult to distinguish morphologically and require detailed examination for definitive identification.
Chrysis rivalis
Chrysis rivalis is a species of cuckoo wasp in the family Chrysididae. Like other members of the genus Chrysis, it exhibits bright metallic coloration and a parasitic lifestyle, laying eggs in the nests of solitary wasps or bees. The species belongs to a taxonomically challenging group where color variation and morphological similarity have historically complicated species identification. Cuckoo wasps in this genus possess armored exoskeletons and the ability to curl into a defensive ball to protect against host attacks.
Chrysis scitula
Chrysis scitula is a species of cuckoo wasp in the family Chrysididae. Cuckoo wasps are obligate parasites of other solitary wasps and bees, with females laying eggs in host nests. Members of the genus Chrysis are known for their striking metallic coloration and heavily armored exoskeletons that provide protection during nest invasions. The specific biology and host associations of C. scitula remain poorly documented.
Hedychridium
cuckoo wasps
Hedychridium is a genus of cuckoo wasps in the family Chrysididae, characterized by brilliant metallic coloration in blues, greens, and reds. These small wasps are nest parasites of predatory solitary wasps, with females laying eggs in the nests of host species. The genus is distributed across the Western Palaearctic, with some species found in North America and isolated records from the Far East. Adults are commonly observed visiting flowers for nectar, particularly plants in the families Apiaceae and Asteraceae.
Hedychridium solierellae
Hedychridium solierellae is a species of cuckoo wasp in the family Chrysididae. Members of this genus are among the most brilliantly colored of the chrysidids, exhibiting bright metallic blues, greens, and reds. These wasps are nest parasites of predatory, solitary wasps. The genus Hedychridium is part of the diverse cuckoo wasp family Chrysididae, which comprises kleptoparasitic species that lay their eggs in the nests of other wasps and bees.
Hedychrum cupricolle
Hedychrum cupricolle is a species of cuckoo wasp in the family Chrysididae. Like other members of its genus, it is a kleptoparasite that targets the nests of solitary wasps. The species has been recorded in Europe, though specific details about its biology and distribution remain limited in published sources.
Macronychia
satellite flies
Macronychia is a genus of satellite flies in the family Sarcophagidae, first described by Rondani in 1859. The genus comprises at least 20 described species. These flies are kleptoparasitic, meaning they exploit the food resources or nesting provisions of other organisms rather than collecting their own. They are associated with solitary bees and wasps, where they lay eggs in or near host nests.
Metopia sinipalpis
Metopia sinipalpis is a species of satellite fly in the family Sarcophagidae, subfamily Miltogramminae. The genus Metopia comprises kleptoparasitic flies whose larvae parasitize the nests of solitary wasps. Like other members of this genus, M. sinipalpis likely targets burrowing wasps, with females following host wasps to their nests to deposit larvae. The species was described by Allen in 1926 and is recorded from Brazil (Santa Catarina) and the United States.
Omalus variatus
Omalus variatus is a species of cuckoo wasp in the family Chrysididae. Like other members of its genus, it is a kleptoparasite that targets the nests of solitary wasps, particularly aphid-hunting wasps in the family Crabronidae. The species exhibits a distinctive indirect parasitism strategy: females oviposit into aphids, which are then captured by host wasps and transported to their nests, where the cuckoo wasp larva develops by consuming the host's provisions.
Perithous scurra pleuralis
Perithous scurra pleuralis is a subspecies of ichneumon wasp in the family Ichneumonidae. As a member of the genus Perithous, it is a parasitoid wasp known to target the nests of solitary wasps, particularly those of aphid-hunting Pemphredon wasps. The species was described by Cresson in 1868.
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.
Senotainia trilineata
Three-lined satellite fly
Senotainia trilineata is a satellite fly in the family Sarcophagidae, subfamily Miltogramminae. It is a kleptoparasitic fly that targets the nests of solitary wasps, particularly species in the families Crabronidae and Sphecidae. The female fly deposits live larvae (larviposits) on or near paralyzed prey being transported by host wasps, or directly at nest entrances. The fly larvae then consume the provisioned prey intended for the wasp's offspring. This species has been documented as a parasite of multiple wasp genera including Ammophila, Cerceris, Hoplisoides, and Aphilanthops, and has also been recorded parasitizing the jewel beetle Phaenops vandykei.
Senotainia vigilans
satellite fly
Senotainia vigilans is a satellite fly in the family Sarcophagidae, subfamily Miltogramminae. The species is a known parasite of solitary wasp nests, particularly those of the thread-waisted wasp Ammophila procera. Female flies follow prey-laden female wasps back to their burrows and deposit live larvae at the nest entrance. These larvae then enter the burrow and parasitize the developing wasp larvae. The species was described by Allen in 1924.
Sphenometopa tergata
satellite fly
Sphenometopa tergata is a satellite fly in the family Sarcophagidae, subfamily Miltogramminae. It is known to parasitize the nests of ant-queen kidnapping wasps in the genus Aphilanthops, particularly A. frigidus. The species has been observed loitering near nest aggregations of these solitary wasps, suggesting kleptoparasitic or parasitoid behavior. Its taxonomic history includes transfer from the genus Araba to Sphenometopa.
Thyridanthrax
bee flies
Thyridanthrax is a genus of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) comprising approximately 12-50 described species distributed across Eurasia, Africa, North America, and South America. Species within this genus are parasitoids with documented associations with various hosts including crabronid wasps and calliphorid flies. The genus exhibits diverse parasitism strategies, with some species capable of facultative switching between idiobiont and koinobiont modes.
Thyridanthrax andrewsi
bee fly
Thyridanthrax andrewsi is a species of bee fly (family Bombyliidae) found in the western United States. The species was described by Hall in 1970 and is one of approximately 4,500 described species of bee flies worldwide. Members of this genus are known parasitoids, with females depositing eggs into the nests of solitary wasps.
Thyridanthrax selene
Thyridanthrax selene is a bee fly species in the family Bombyliidae. It occurs in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. The genus Thyridanthrax includes species that are parasitoids of solitary wasps, with females observed hovering over open wasp nests and depositing eggs into burrows. Limited observational records exist for this species.
Zodion fulvifrons
Zodion fulvifrons is a small species of thick-headed fly in the family Conopidae. Members of the genus Zodion are known to be internal parasites of solitary wasps. The species has been documented in North America, with observations primarily from the United States. Like other conopids, adults are likely flower visitors that seek nectar while also hunting for host wasps.
Zodion pictulum
Zodion pictulum is a species of thick-headed fly in the family Conopidae. Like other members of the genus Zodion, it is a parasitoid of solitary wasps. The species is notably smaller than related genera such as Physocephala, measuring approximately 5-7 millimeters in length. It has been observed in association with flowers where adults likely feed on nectar while seeking hosts.