| Sapygidae | |
|---|---|
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| FemaleEusapyga verticalis onEriogonum | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Superfamily: | Pompiloidea |
| Family: | Sapygidae |
| Genera | |
TheSapygidae are a family of solitarykleptoparasitic aculeatewasps. They are generally black wasps, similar in appearance to someTiphiidae orThynnidae, with white or yellow markings developed to various degrees.
The female oviposits her eggs into the nests of solitarybees, and the developinglarvae consume both the host larvae and the supply of food provided for them.
The Sapygidae are a small family with only about 80 species described, and they are not of major economic importance. However, some of their host species are important pollinators, and it may sometimes be necessary to control the level of predation on them.[1]
Fossil sapygids have been found in mid-Cretaceous amber in Myanmar[2] and UpperEocene Balticamber.
Authority control databases: National |
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