STREPSIPTERA: STYLOPS
Definition
- Small internal parasites of other invertebrates, mainly of leaf-hoppers and bees and wasps.
- The female is grub-like even when adult, and stays in the host apart from a hole to the outside. The male's hind wings are large and broad, whilst the front wings are reduced to tiny drum-sticks.
What they do and where they live
- Little is known about their life history. In the case of solitary bees, it would seem that the female stylops has two good opportunities to spread her eggs or young active larvae, either about nesting sites or at flowers visited by the host and other bees.
- Solitary bees containing stylops have the abdomen distorted, in the later stages with a tiny cap-like structure revealing the presence of a pupa or female adult. Some species of bee are more prone than others.
Number of species
- Britain has about 18 species.
- The world figure is about 400.
