Ant Strepsipteran vs Bee-fly Strepsipteran
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Ant Strepsipteran | Bee-fly Strepsipteran |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Myrmecolax incautus | Stylops ater |
| Order | Strepsiptera | Strepsiptera |
| Family | Myrmecolacidae | Stylopidae |
| Size | 2-4 mm (males) | 2.0-3.5 mm (males) |
| Habitat | Underground | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Parasites | Parasites |
| Regions | South America, Neotropics | Europe |
| Conservation | Data Deficient | Not Evaluated |
Ant Strepsipteran
A remarkable strepsipteran that parasitizes ants. Males parasitize ants while females parasitize crickets or grasshoppers, a unique life history involving two different host orders.
Did You Know?
The two sexes parasitize hosts from completely different insect orders, a phenomenon found nowhere else in the animal kingdom.
Bee-fly Strepsipteran
A dark-bodied strepsipteran that parasitizes Andrena mining bees in Europe. The triungulins actively seek out host bee larvae in nest cells.
Did You Know?
Tiny first-instar larvae ride on flowers and grab onto visiting bees for transport back to the bee's nest.