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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Orthorrhapha" (Brachycera excluding Aschiza and Schizophora) » Asiloidea » Bee Flies (Bombyliidae) » Bombyliinae » Bombyliini » Bombylius » Bombylius pygmaeus

Species Bombylius pygmaeus

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Season · Food · Life Cycle · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Pygmy Bee Fly Ovipositing - Bombylius pygmaeus - female Bee Fly - Bombylius pygmaeus Bee Fly - Bombylius pygmaeus Pygmy bee fly - Bombylius pygmaeus help with id please - Bombylius pygmaeus Pygmy bee fly - Bombylius pygmaeus Pygmy Bee Fly - Bombylius pygmaeus For NJ point on images map - Bombylius pygmaeus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon ("Orthorrhapha" (Brachycera excluding Aschiza and Schizophora))
Superfamily Asiloidea
Family Bombyliidae (Bee Flies)
Subfamily Bombyliinae
Tribe Bombyliini
Genus Bombylius
Species pygmaeus (Bombylius pygmaeus)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Bombylius pygmaeus Fabricius 1781
Explanation of Names
Species name pygmaeus from Greek pygm, dwarf, but with other meanings as well, such as "a fist" or "boxing" (1).
Size
circa 10-12 mm
Identification
Thorax dark brown, outlined in yellowish-white; spots on wings distinctly separate (not coalesced into bands or blotches, as in the similar B. pulchellus).
Range
Includes eastern North America, noted from Canada, North Carolina.
Season
Spring. April (eastern North Carolina), May (mountains of North Carolina)
Food
Adults likely take nectar.
Life Cycle
Parasitoids of solitary bees.
See Also
Bombylius pulchellus has wing spots coalesced into bands or blotches (whereas in pygmaeus, wing spots are distinctly separate)
Greater Bee Fly (Bombylius major) is larger (12-18 mm) with bicolored wings containing no spots.
Print References
Borror, entry for pygm (1)
Brimley, p. 342, notes season in regions of North Carolina (2).
Internet References
Canadian Biodiversity
Diptera Types in the Canadian National Collection of Insects--cover illustration
North Carolina State Univ. Entomology--17 pinned, including specimens from that state.
Works Cited
1.Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms
By Donald J. Borror
2.Insects of North Carolina
By C.S. Brimley
Contributed by Cotinis on 24 April, 2005 - 11:38pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod
Last updated 26 April, 2009 - 7:45am

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