Zombie-fly

Guides

• Apocephalus

  ant-decapitating flies, scuttle flies (informal)

  Apocephalus is a genus of phorid flies comprising at least 300 described species, commonly known as ant-decapitating flies. Species within this genus are primarily parasitoids of ants, with females laying eggs in hosts that subsequently develop into larvae that consume the host from within, often resulting in host decapitation. The genus has gained particular attention due to Apocephalus borealis, which parasitizes honey bees and causes aberrant nocturnal behavior leading to hive abandonment. Several species groups have been taxonomically revised, including the mucronatus group and subgenus Mesophora, with numerous new species described in recent decades.

  parasitoidanthoney-beephoriddecapitatingzombie-flyinvasive-potentialurban-ecologyintegrated-pest-managementcitizen-sciencehost-specificitybrood-parasitismoviposition-behaviorsocial-insect-parasite