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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Acalyptratae" » Sciomyzoidea » Thick-headed Flies (Conopidae) » Conopinae » Physocephala » Physocephala texana
Photo#1069091
Physocephala? - Physocephala texana
Copyright © 2015 Debbi Brusco

Physocephala? - Physocephala texana
Hastings NHR, Monterey County, California, USA
May 10, 2015
Size: 3-4cm
This is the best wasp mimic I've ever seen. It was visiting Eriogonum along with other insects.
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Contributed by Debbi Brusco on 18 May, 2015 - 1:18pm
Last updated 18 May, 2015 - 9:17pm

Classic Physocephala texana
Moved from Conopinae.

Yes, these are wonderful wasp mimics. This is one of the two most commonly encountered species in cismontane CA (the other being P. burgessi).

I was in the Hastings area in the morning two days earlier, right when it rained. Would have liked to have seen one of these :-) There was a lot of Collinsia heterophylla in flower, but not much Eriogonum fasciculatum yet. And the flowers were still soggy, so not many insects out visiting them. Two warm sunny days after the rain is definitely a better window of opportunity!
… Aaron Schusteff, 18 May, 2015 - 9:18pm login or register to post comments

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