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The cuckoo bees are stunningly beautiful but these bees lead a life of deceit! They behave like cuckoo birds -- laying their eggs in the nests of other bees.

The Neon Cuckoo Bee, Thyreus nitidulus, with glittering metallic blue spots, lays its eggs in the nests of Blue Banded Bees.

'Peter O' kindly contributed this magnificent photo of a Neon Cuckoo Bee:

neon cuckoo bee

Erica Siegel of Queensland kindly contributed the following vibrant photographs of the Neon Cuckoo Bee to the Aussie Bee website:

neon cuckoo bee

Above: Erica Siegel's fabulous photo of a Neon Cuckoo Bee (Thyreus nitidulus).

neon cuckoo bee

Above: the Neon Cuckoo Bee (Thyreus nitidulus) has dazzling patches of jewel-like blue fur on its black body.

thyreus cuckoo bee

More stunning photos of cuckoo bees
by Erica Siegel

This closely related bee with white patches of fur, the Domino Cuckoo Bee Thyreus lugubris, preys on the nests of Teddy Bear Bees.

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