cuckoo bee

British  

noun

1. any of several species of parasitic or inquiline bee the queen of which lays her eggs in the nest of the bumblebee or other species, sometimes killing the host queen, leaving her eggs to be raised by the workers of the nest

---

Example Sentences

No, Hickman is searching for a special California native bee, Triepeolus verbesinae, a parasitic wasp-shaped “cuckoo” bee, so named because its behavior is similar to cuckoo birds, which lay their eggs in the nests of other birds.

From Los Angeles Times

A cuckoo bee's parenting practices go something like this: First, they will find another bees' nest.

From Salon

Sometimes cuckoo bee mothers will kill the competing bee larvae in advance to make sure that the cuckoo's young are fed.

From Salon

It’s known commonly as a cuckoo bee, but its scientific name is a mouthful: Epeoloides pilosulus.

From Washington Times

Among the native species that are severely threatened are the Gulf Coast solitary bee, the macropis cuckoo bee and the sunflower leafcutting bee, which is now rarely seen.

From Reuters