D3110: Bumble bee macroparasites

Conopid flies (Diptera: Conopidae) and Mermithid nematodes (Mermithid: Mermithidae) are obligate endoparasitoids of multiple insect taxa. Several conopid genera are associated with bumble bees; female conopids parasitize foraging bumble bees by ovipositing an egg into a bumble bee’s abdomen. Parasitism can have adverse effects on host behavior and survival, but little is known about conopid fly host choice or distribution. Moreover, morphologically, conopid larvae are ambiguous, and keys do not currently exist for identification. Here, we attempt to sequence conopids dissected from over 3,000 bumble bees representing 15 species from 14 states.