Ripiphoridae
Encyclopedia
The family Ripiphoridae (formerly spelled Rhipiphoridae) is a cosmopolitan group of beetle
s commonly known as wedge-shaped beetles containing some 450 species. They are one of the most unusual beetle families, in that they are parasitoids—different groups within the family attack different hosts, but most are associated with bee
s or vespid wasps, while some others are associated with roaches
. They often have abbreviated elytra, and branched antennae
.
Those that attack bees typically lay their eggs on flowers, where they hatch almost immediately into small planidium
larvae that wait for a passing host. They grab onto a bee when it visits the flower, and ride it back to its nest, where they disembark and enter a cell with a host larva. The beetle larva then enters the body of the host larva, where it waits while the larva grows. When the host pupates, the beetle larva migrates to the outside of its body and begins to feed, eventually consuming it.
Beetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
s commonly known as wedge-shaped beetles containing some 450 species. They are one of the most unusual beetle families, in that they are parasitoids—different groups within the family attack different hosts, but most are associated with bee
Bee
Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila...
s or vespid wasps, while some others are associated with roaches
Cockroach
Cockroaches are insects of the order Blattaria or Blattodea, of which about 30 species out of 4,500 total are associated with human habitations...
. They often have abbreviated elytra, and branched antennae
Antenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
.
Those that attack bees typically lay their eggs on flowers, where they hatch almost immediately into small planidium
Planidium
A planidium is a specialized type of first-instar insect larva, seen in groups that are parasitoids; they are generally flattened, highly sclerotized, have legs, are quite mobile, and sometimes have eyes...
larvae that wait for a passing host. They grab onto a bee when it visits the flower, and ride it back to its nest, where they disembark and enter a cell with a host larva. The beetle larva then enters the body of the host larva, where it waits while the larva grows. When the host pupates, the beetle larva migrates to the outside of its body and begins to feed, eventually consuming it.