The Sapygidae are a family of solitary kleptoparasitic aculeate

wasp A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder ...

s. They are generally black wasps, similar in appearance to some

Tiphiidae The Tiphiidae (also known as tiphiid wasps, flower wasps, or tiphiid flower wasps) are a family (biology), family of large, solitary wasps whose larvae are parasitoids of various beetle larvae, especially those in the superfamily Scarabaeoidea. Un ...

Thynnidae The Thynnidae (also known as thynnid wasps, flower wasps, or thynnid flower wasps) are a family of large, solitary wasps whose larvae are almost universally parasitoids of various beetle larvae, especially those in the superfamily Scarabaeoidea. ...

, with white or yellow markings developed to various degrees. The female oviposits her eggs into the nests of solitary bees, and the developing

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e 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. Fossil sapygids have been found in mid-Cretaceous amber in Myanmar and Upper

Eocene The Eocene ( ) is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (Ma). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes ...

Baltic

amber Amber is fossilized tree resin. Examples of it have been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since the Neolithic times, and worked as a gemstone since antiquity."Amber" (2004). In Maxine N. Lurie and Marc Mappen (eds.) ''Encyclopedia ...

. File:Sapyga centrata on flower.jpg, ''

Sapyga centrata ''Sapyga'' is a genus of Sapygidae, sapygid wasps. At least 19 species have been described in the genus. Species * ''Sapyga angustata'' Cresson, 1880 * ''Sapyga caucasica'' Radoszkowsky, 1880 * ''Sapyga centrata'' Say, 1836 * ''Sapyga coma'' ...

'' File:Monosapyga clavicornis-pjt2.jpg, '' Monosapyga clavicornis''

References

{{Authority control Apocrita families Brood parasites