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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Orthorrhapha" (Brachycera excluding Aschiza and Schizophora) » Asiloidea » Bee Flies (Bombyliidae) » Bombyliinae » Bombyliini » Heterostylum » Bomber Fly (Heterostylum robustum)
Photo#236430
Bombyliid sp4 1241 - Heterostylum robustum
Copyright © 2005 iNaturalist

Bombyliid sp4 1241 - Heterostylum robustum
Del Puerto Canyon, Stanislaus County, California, USA
May 30, 2005
Size: ~7-10 mm
This one shows more white than others in this series; no photo of insect at rest, so not sure about wing markings. Bombylius sp?
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Contributed by iNaturalist on 27 October, 2008 - 1:26pm
Last updated 28 October, 2008 - 2:52pm

Great shot -- I went to your
Great shot -- I went to your photos page here on Bug Guide and read the comments to your carpenter bee shot (that carpenter bee shot is outstanding). I would imagine the head-on shots are a lot easier to nail than the lateral fly-bys. I'm thinking I'll set up a tripod near a plant that a dragonfly uses to watch over his territory, and when he goes off to defend it against an intruder, I'll catch him on the return, during his approach and landing. It'd be really cool to catch a robber fly and its prey in the same frame. Thanks for posting.
… Catfish, 27 October, 2008 - 7:02pm login or register to post comments

Just wanted to comment on you
Just wanted to comment on your picture. Getting a clear shot of a bug in flight....very nice!!
… Melissa, 27 October, 2008 - 1:51pm login or register to post comments

 
ID
I agree on the nice flight shot! This is Heterostylum robustum, a very widely distributed parasitoid of ground-nesting bees. You might say it's the White-lined Sphinx of Bee Flies: big & showy & you see one at every locality.
… Andy Calderwood, 27 October, 2008 - 5:05pm login or register to post comments

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