| Ascosphaera callicarpa | |
|---|---|
| |
| A) habitat. Phragmites reeds and female Chelostoma florisomne returning with pollen for her brood. B) fecal pellet of C. florisomne larva covered with spore cysts; pale spore balls are visible through the transparent spore cyst wall. C) close-up of spore cyst showing spore balls and smooth, unornamented spore cyst wall. D) spore balls. E) bacilliform ascospores. | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Eurotiomycetes |
| Order: | Onygenales |
| Family: | Ascosphaeraceae |
| Genus: | Ascosphaera |
| Species: | A. callicarpa
|
| Binomial name | |
| Ascosphaera callicarpa A.A.Wynns (2013)
| |
Ascosphaera callicarpa is a fungus common on the larval feces of the solitary bee Chelostoma florisomne, which nests in the Phragmites reeds of thatched roofs in Europe.
Pathogenic Ascosphaera species afflict only the larval stage of bees. Typically, diseased larvae die in the larval stage; in rare occurrences, however, larvae have been observed to enter pupation before being overcome by the fungus.