Native to the southwest US and Central America, squash has been grown in VT for millennia. During this time, one of the many squash specialist bees has found its way into VT, along with a specialist cleptoparasite. The squash bee is nearly ubiquitous on gardens and farms growing winter squash or zucchini, while the cuckoo bee is only known from a few sites in the state.
Pruinose Squash Bee (Peponapis Pruinosa)
Primarily active before noon, before the squash flowers begin to shrivel.
Squash Longhorn-Cuckoo (Triepeolus remigatus)
Distinctive, though surprisingly wasp-like.
Distribution: Pruinose Squash Bee in orange, Squash Longhorn-Cuckoo in black.
