The subfamily that includes cuckoo bees is the Nomadinae. Cuckoo bees are part of the family Apidae, which also includes other bees like honey bees and bumblebees. Cuckoo bees, however, are distinct in their behavior as they are cleptoparasites, meaning they lay their eggs in the nests of other bee species. The host bees unwittingly raise the cuckoo bee larvae, which often consume the host’s provisions and even the host’s eggs. This behavior is similar to the strategy employed by cuckoo birds, hence the name “cuckoo bees.”