Ok gang...I was enjoying photographing some emerging Synhalonia sp. queens and the ensuing chaos that was breeding...when I noticed some odd parasites on one individual queen...

What are they? Can any of you help with an ID.




Thanks as always,

-Riley

They're most likely a mite. I have no way of knowing how to ID them beyond being mites.

I don't believe them to be a mite at all. Body is not mite "ish". I wondered if a fly species larvae, or wasp larvae of some species?

I thought you were talking about the orange dot above the right wing in the second photo. Now that I look again I think it could be a psuedo scorpion, that's near the head. They're known to catch rides on other bugs.

I think you are looking at larval blister beetles, the first instars of many species are known to attach to bees.

Thanks Gordon, I will look closely at that.

I thought Blister beetles were primarily oophagus on grasshopper eggs....I love learning new things!

-Thanks gang

A good number do, but there are many that also go for bees.