Twisted-Wing Parasites: Strepsiptera

Twisted-wing parasites are found in a wide variety of habitats wherever their hosts live, especially in tropical habitats. Both females and larvae are endoparasites (EN-doh-PAE-rih-saits). Endoparasites are organisms that live inside the bodies of their hosts. They invade the bodies of silverfish, cockroaches, mantids, grasshoppers, crickets and katydids, true bugs and hoppers, some flies, and ants, bees, and wasps. Males are sometimes found under stones or are attracted to lights at night.