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Cuckoo bumblebees are members of the subgenus ''Psithyrus'' in the bumblebee genus ''Bombus''. Until recently, the 29 species of ''Psithyrus'' were considered to constitute a separate genus.〔Williams, P.H. 1994. Phylogenetic relationships among bumblebees (''Bombus'' Latr.): A reappraisal of morphological evidence. Systematic Entomology 19: 327-344.〕 They are a specialized lineage which has lost the ability to collect pollen and to rear their brood. They have lost the worker caste and produce only sexuals, male and female. They are inquilines in the colonies of other bumblebees. Before finding and invading a host colony, a ''Psithyrus'' female will feed directly from flowers. Once she has infiltrated a host colony, the ''Psithyrus'' female will kill or subdue the queen of that colony and forcibly (using pheromones and/or physical attacks) "enslave" the workers of that colony to feed her and her developing young. When the young emerge, they leave the colony to mate, and the females seek out other nests to attack. Female cuckoo bumblebees aggressively attack host colony members, and sting the host queen, but ignore other animals (including humans) unless disturbed. ==Selected species== * ''Bombus ashtoni'' * ''Bombus barbutellus'' * ''Bombus bohemicus'' * ''Bombus campestris'' * ''Bombus citrinus'' * ''Bombus cornutus'' * ''Bombus fernaldae'' * ''Bombus insularis'' *''Bombus lapidarius'' * ''Bombus pratorum''〔G K¨upper, Kh Schwammberger. Social parasitism in bumble bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae): observations of Psithyrus sylvestris in Bombus pratorum nests. Apidologie, Springer Verlag, 1995, 26 (3), pp.245-254.〕 * ''Bombus rupestris'' * ''Bombus sylvestris'' * ''Bombus variabilis'' * ''Bombus vestalis'' * ''Bombus quadricolor'' 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Psithyrus」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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