Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Laphria grossa (
Fabricius, 1775). Taxonomic notes:
Laphria grossa Shi, 1993--listed in
Encyclopedia of Life (?relation to above?)
Size
23-35 mm (Bullington, Eastern Laphria)
Identification
See Internet references and comments on images for details. Bullington states that this is a
mimic of a
Bombus (Psithyrus), specifically
laboriosus[=
Bombus (Psithyrus) citrinus (Smith)]. Bromley (1934) considered the species to be mimetic of queens of
Bombus vagans and
B. impatiens, depending on the amount of yellow on the abdomen, while in the southern portions of the range, specimens have increased yellow on the abdomen and resemble
Bombus pensylvanicus.
(1)Range
Eastern United States: New England to South Carolina, occasionally Florida (Bullington, Eastern Laphria)
Habitat
deciduous forests, adults often found near large stumps (Bullington, Eastern Laphria)
Season
early summer; North Carolina: (May), June-July
(2)Internet References
Norman Laver--The Robber Flies of Crowley's Ridge, Arkansas--
Laphria grossa
Bullington, The Laphriini Pages--
Eastern Laphria
