Epeoloides

Epeoloides are medium-sized, conspicuous, cuckoo-bees. They are sparsely haired but brightly colored and have a somewhat pointy abdomen. Females have a black and red cuticle with white abdominal patches of short, velvety hair and light gray eyes. Males have a lighter cuticle with bright, reddish-yellow body hair and large, turquoise eyes. They typically fly during late summer, with the males emerging shortly before the females. Despite their unmistakable features, they are elusive in the field and are considered a rare finding. They attack exclusively the nests of bees from the genus Macropis.