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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Orthorrhapha" (Brachycera excluding Aschiza and Schizophora) » Asiloidea » Robber Flies (Asilidae) » Asilinae » Bee Killers (Mallophora) » Southern Bee Killer (Mallophora orcina)
Photo#127507
Southern Killer Bee dining on Rose Chafer - Mallophora orcina
Copyright © 2007 Dawn Griffith

Southern Killer Bee dining on Rose Chafer - Mallophora orcina
James River National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia, USA
July 14, 2007
Size: 2+ inches
I didn't see him (her?) eating when I took the picture. Would like to know what kind of bee it is... until identification, I'm calling it the Jerry Garcia Bee. All the fur made me think of him! Bonus points if you can identify the prey.
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Contributed by Dawn Griffith on 15 July, 2007 - 6:09pm
Last updated 11 August, 2007 - 11:46pm

11 comments before I get here
Jeesh, these Mallophora get all the attention.
… Herschel Raney, 16 July, 2007 - 7:10pm login or register to post comments

 
Hey, they're cute!
So where's your Bug Guide contributor photo so we can fuss over you?
… Ron Hemberger, 17 July, 2007 - 12:25am login or register to post comments

Grate Name!
If only they could play like Jerry....
… Sean McCann, 15 July, 2007 - 7:16pm login or register to post comments

 
Also, "they've got l-a-a-a-i-gs"
Some look more like ZZ Top. I hadn't noticed Jerry before, but agree while LOL. We also have one named after Sonny Bono for reasons of apparel.
… Ron Hemberger, 15 July, 2007 - 8:19pm login or register to post comments

 
ZZ
LOL! I saw him when I checked out the Robber Flies page!!!
… Dawn Griffith, 15 July, 2007 - 10:50pm login or register to post comments

Looks like...
Laphria. Herschel Raney may be able to get it down to species or at least a species-group.
… Nick Fensler, 15 July, 2007 - 7:00pm login or register to post comments

 
Oh, yeah...
I looked at one of the pages where Mallophora was identifed by Herschel. I guess I stick to wasps:-)
… Nick Fensler, 15 July, 2007 - 8:04pm login or register to post comments

 
Actually...
this is not Laphria, but Mallophora. Also bumblebee mimic robbers. I have no field experience with these ones, so I'll let Herschel take over.
… Ben Coulter, 15 July, 2007 - 7:25pm login or register to post comments

Prey
Prey is a beetle, genus Macrodactylus.
… Brad Barnd, 15 July, 2007 - 6:55pm login or register to post comments

Robber Fly
This isn't a bee, it's a fly in the family Asilidae. Don't feel bad for thinking it was a bee- that's what it wanted you to think. Most robber flies are very good bee mimics.

There are a great many subfamilies, tribes, species groups and species, so I won't even attempt an ID, but we've got some real experts here who should at least get it down to a genus.
… Chuck Entz, 15 July, 2007 - 6:28pm login or register to post comments

 
Southern Killer Bee
Thanks for the link!
… Dawn Griffith, 15 July, 2007 - 10:51pm login or register to post comments

 
Mallophora
This is Mallophora orcina.
… norman lavers, 15 July, 2007 - 7:51pm login or register to post comments

 
Killer Bee
I suspected Killer Bee, but never knew it wasn't a bee, so I didn't find it when I was looking on the site. Thanks!
… Dawn Griffith, 15 July, 2007 - 10:52pm login or register to post comments

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