Ant Strepsipteran vs Halictid Bee Strepsipteran
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Ant Strepsipteran | Halictid Bee Strepsipteran |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Myrmecolax incautus | Halictophagus silwoodensis |
| Order | Strepsiptera | Strepsiptera |
| Family | Myrmecolacidae | Halictophagidae |
| Size | 2-4 mm (males) | 1.0-1.5 mm (males) |
| Habitat | Underground | Meadows |
| 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.
Halictid Bee Strepsipteran
A tiny strepsipteran parasite of leafhoppers described from Silwood Park in England. Males have the characteristic twisted hindwings of the order.
Did You Know?
Strepsiptera means twisted wing, referring to the way the hindwings twist during flight like helicopter blades.