Cuckoo Bumblebee vs Stink Bug Tachinid

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cuckoo Bumblebee Stink Bug Tachinid
Scientific Name Bombus vestalis Trichopoda pennipes
Order Hymenoptera Diptera
Family Apidae Tachinidae
Size 15-22mm 8-12 mm
Habitat Woodlands Farmland
Diet Parasites Parasites
Regions Europe North America, South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Cuckoo Bumblebee

A social parasite that invades buff-tailed bumblebee nests, kills the queen and enslaves the workers.

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Did You Know?

Enters the nest of its host species, fights and kills the queen, then forces the workers to raise her own offspring.

Stink Bug Tachinid

A distinctive parasitic fly with a flattened orange abdomen and feathery legs. It attacks stink bugs and squash bugs in agricultural settings.

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Did You Know?

Its fringed hind legs are thought to mimic bee pollen baskets, confusing predators.