Melaloncha is a genus of phorid flies (
Diptera:
Phoridae) commonly referred to as "bee-killing flies". They are found almost exclusively in the
Neotropical realm, although there is one record from extreme southern
Texas,
United States.[4] They are small flies, usually about 2–3 millimetres (0.08–0.12 in) in length. No true fossils are known, although there are some specimens in Colombian
copal, of unknown (but likely relatively recent) age.
Life history
Female M. acoma attacking host stingless bee
Species of Melaloncha are parasitoids of bees, especially
stingless bees (Meliponini), but also introduced
European honey bees (Apis mellifera),
bumblebees (Bombus), and
halictid bees (Megalopta).[5][6][7][8][9][10][11] Some attack their hosts while flying, darting down to lay their eggs; others land, curl their ovipositor under their bodies and rush their hosts on foot (as in M. acoma, see photo); a few carefully land on their host and stealthily inject their egg.
The flies can be attracted by spraying a mixture of honey and water on undergrowth to attract an aggregation of host bees. Frequently, they are found on palm tree flowers (again, with host bees), and sometimes they are encountered around bee nests.
Taxonomy
The type species of the genus is Melaloncha pulchella Brues, a species from
Bolivia. The
holotype specimen was lost in a fire at the
Hungarian National Museum. About 170 species are known, but many more exist, and the final total for the genus is likely to be 200–300.[12]Melaloncha is organized into two subgenera, Udamochiras (51 species) and Melaloncha (117 species).
Economic importance
The parasitization of honey bees and native stingless bees causes premature mortality of workers and is a drain on the colony. The effects of Melaloncha parasitism on commercial
beekeeping, including efforts to keep native tropical
stingless bees (
meliponiculture), and the scale of financial losses due to these flies has not been studied.
^
abcdBorgmeier, T. (1959). "Neue und wenig bekannte Phoriden aus der neotropischen Region. Nebst einigen Arten aud dem Belgischen Congo-Gebiet (Diptera, Phoridae)". Studia ent. 2: 129–208.
Melaloncha is a genus of phorid flies (
Diptera:
Phoridae) commonly referred to as "bee-killing flies". They are found almost exclusively in the
Neotropical realm, although there is one record from extreme southern
Texas,
United States.[4] They are small flies, usually about 2–3 millimetres (0.08–0.12 in) in length. No true fossils are known, although there are some specimens in Colombian
copal, of unknown (but likely relatively recent) age.
Life history
Female M. acoma attacking host stingless bee
Species of Melaloncha are parasitoids of bees, especially
stingless bees (Meliponini), but also introduced
European honey bees (Apis mellifera),
bumblebees (Bombus), and
halictid bees (Megalopta).[5][6][7][8][9][10][11] Some attack their hosts while flying, darting down to lay their eggs; others land, curl their ovipositor under their bodies and rush their hosts on foot (as in M. acoma, see photo); a few carefully land on their host and stealthily inject their egg.
The flies can be attracted by spraying a mixture of honey and water on undergrowth to attract an aggregation of host bees. Frequently, they are found on palm tree flowers (again, with host bees), and sometimes they are encountered around bee nests.
Taxonomy
The type species of the genus is Melaloncha pulchella Brues, a species from
Bolivia. The
holotype specimen was lost in a fire at the
Hungarian National Museum. About 170 species are known, but many more exist, and the final total for the genus is likely to be 200–300.[12]Melaloncha is organized into two subgenera, Udamochiras (51 species) and Melaloncha (117 species).
Economic importance
The parasitization of honey bees and native stingless bees causes premature mortality of workers and is a drain on the colony. The effects of Melaloncha parasitism on commercial
beekeeping, including efforts to keep native tropical
stingless bees (
meliponiculture), and the scale of financial losses due to these flies has not been studied.
^
abcdBorgmeier, T. (1959). "Neue und wenig bekannte Phoriden aus der neotropischen Region. Nebst einigen Arten aud dem Belgischen Congo-Gebiet (Diptera, Phoridae)". Studia ent. 2: 129–208.