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Photo#25431
Small-Headed Fly:  Acroceridae - Lasia purpurata

Small-Headed Fly: Acroceridae - Lasia purpurata
North Central region, Arkansas, USA
July 21, 2005
This image was submitted to www.whatsthatbug.com by Kay Biggerstaff.
Small Headed Fly
(07/22/2005) What is this insect?
While taking pictures of "butterfly weed" I noticed an odd/unusual flying insect which appeared to me to be a cross between a hummingbird and beetle. It was hard shelled and perhaps about the size of a nickel or quarter. Clear colored wings, metallic/iridescence looking colors of black, blue and green, (depending on the light source perhaps), golden colored eyes, no antennas that I could see, six legs and a very long proboscis. I've searched my field guides and nothing comes close. What is this insect? I live in North Central Arkansas. Thank you,
Kay Biggerstaff



Hi Kay,
We thought this might be a Bee Fly, but has never seen anything like it. So ... as we always do when in doubt, we turn to Eric Eaton. Here is his excited response: "Holy moly! What a proboscis! I am pretty sure this is a small-headed fly in the family Acroceridae. They are not terribly common. Larvae are internal parasites of spiders, but usually have to crawl around looking for a host after mom deposits her eggs in spider habitat. Trapdoor spiders are often the victims. I'd love to see this posted to BugGuide, as I believe it would be a whole new family for that site. I hate to ask that, everytime you send a cool image, but that is what BugGuide is for. The more diversity there, the more helpful it is to people wondering what their mystery bug is:-) I appreciate your indulgence in forwarding such requests to the submitters. Thank you. Eric" If they are so rare, it is great to see them perpetuating the species. So Kay, if you don't mind, I would like to submit the image to BugGuide as well.

Images of this individual: tag all
Small-Headed Flies Mating:  Acroceridae - Lasia purpurata - male - female Small-Headed Fly:  Acroceridae - Lasia purpurata

Moved
Moved from Neolasia purpurata.

Correspondence with Martin Hauser, Chris Borkent and others, as well as reference and publication searches indicate that Neolasia is not a validly named or recognized genus. The valid name for the genus is Lasia Wiedemann, 1824.

Lasia purpurata
I'm sure this is the insect my husband and I saw the other day feeding on the hyssop flowers. We thought it was some kind of bee.
I did not photograph it but wish that I had. I'll take my camera with me from now on when I am in the garden. We live in Bellevue, Ne a community alongside the Missouri river close to the confluence with the Platte River in a suburban area next to farmland.

Lasia purpurata
We have seen several in our yard in Ocala, Florida. We have two that were found dead in the screened window. They hover above us when we have breakfast on the deck. They can move so fast you cannot follow them visually.

I could take some photos or send the specimens if they are needed but I wanted to report them in Florida.

 
Lasia purpurata
Hi rhunter,

I am an insect ecologist working in insect conservation here in the Midwest. Flies are one of my areas of specialty. I would be very interested in looking at your flies from Florida, if no one else has offered.

Jim

Lasia purpurata Bequaert
Wow! This fly is quite rare in collections. It is Lasia purpurata Bequaert, which has been recorded from Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.

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