Twisted-Wing Parasites

Xenidae Not Evaluated

American Wasp Xenid

Xenos peckii

A parasite of paper wasps in eastern North America, commonly found in Polistes fuscatus colonies. It...

3.0-5.0 mm (males)

Myrmecolacidae Data Deficient

Ant Strepsipteran

Myrmecolax incautus

A remarkable strepsipteran that parasitizes ants. Males parasitize ants while females parasitize cri...

2-4 mm (males)

Xenidae Not Evaluated

Asian Xenid

Xenos oxyodontes

A strepsipteran parasite of Ropalidia paper wasps in tropical Asia. It modifies host wasp social beh...

3.0-4.5 mm (males)

Stylopidae Not Evaluated

Bee Stylops

Stylops pacificus

A strepsipteran parasite of Andrena bees in western North America. Males emerge as tiny winged adult...

2.0-3.5 mm (males)

Stylopidae Not Evaluated

Bee-fly Strepsipteran

Stylops ater

A dark-bodied strepsipteran that parasitizes Andrena mining bees in Europe. The triungulins actively...

2.0-3.5 mm (males)

Myrmecolacidae Not Evaluated

Cricket Strepsipteran

Caenocholax fenyesi

An unusual strepsipteran whose males parasitize ants while females parasitize crickets. This dual-ho...

1.5-3.0 mm (males)

Stylopidae Not Evaluated

European Stylops

Stylops melittae

A twisted-wing parasite of mining bees in the genus Andrena. Males are free-flying while females rem...

2.0-4.0 mm (males)

Halictophagidae Not Evaluated

Halictid Bee Strepsipteran

Halictophagus silwoodensis

A tiny strepsipteran parasite of leafhoppers described from Silwood Park in England. Males have the ...

1.0-1.5 mm (males)

Stylopidae Not Evaluated

Halictid Stylops

Stylops nassonowi

A twisted-wing parasite that targets sweat bees in the family Halictidae. Parasitized bees show alte...

1.5-3.0 mm (males)

Xenidae Not Evaluated

Hornet Strepsipteran

Xenos myrapetrus

A large strepsipteran parasite of hornets and social wasps in tropical Africa. Males have distinctiv...

4.0-6.0 mm (males)

Halictophagidae Not Evaluated

Leafhopper Strepsipteran

Halictophagus calcaratus

A tiny strepsipteran that parasitizes leafhoppers in the family Cicadellidae. The first-instar larva...

1.0-2.0 mm (males)

Halictophagidae Not Evaluated

Planthopper Strepsipteran

Halictophagus australensis

An Australian strepsipteran parasite of delphacid planthoppers. It alters the host's reproductive de...

1.0-2.0 mm (males)

Xenidae Not Evaluated

Sand Wasp Strepsipteran

Paraxenos lugubris

A strepsipteran parasite of sand wasps in the genus Bembix. It is found in sandy coastal areas where...

2.5-4.0 mm (males)

Mengenillidae Not Evaluated

Silverfish Strepsipteran

Mengenilla chobauti

A primitive strepsipteran that parasitizes silverfish and firebrats. Unlike most strepsipterans, the...

2.0-3.5 mm (males)

Stylopidae Not Evaluated

Sweat Bee Stylops

Stylops nevinsoni

A strepsipteran endoparasite of Andrena bees in the British Isles. Parasitized bees emerge earlier t...

2.0-3.0 mm (males)

Elenchidae

Twisted-Wing Delphacid Parasite

Elenchus japonicus

A tiny parasitoid of rice planthoppers, important in Asian rice agroecosystems. Males are free-flyin...

1-3 mm (males)

Stylopidae

Twisted-Wing Honeybee Parasite

Stylops ovinae

A tiny endoparasite of Andrena bees whose females are permanently embedded in the host's abdomen. Ma...

2-4 mm (males)

Elenchidae

Twisted-Winged Parasitoid

Elenchus tenuicornis

A minute strepsipteran that parasitizes planthoppers of the family Delphacidae. Males have fan-shape...

1-3 mm

Xenidae

Wasp Twisted-Wing Parasite

Xenos vesparum

An endoparasite of paper wasps where females spend their entire life inside the wasp host. Parasitiz...

2-5 mm (males)