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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#267609
Robust bee fly - Heterostylum robustum
Copyright © 2009 Eric R. Eaton

Robust bee fly - Heterostylum robustum
Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, USA
April 19, 2009
Is this thing gorgeous or what? I found it relatively early in the morning, resting on the outside of my old office. This was the only shot of the many I took that actually turned out, but I'll take it, I'll take it!
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Contributed by Eric R. Eaton on 21 April, 2009 - 12:04am

nice
I love bee flies. Sometimes they seem fuzzier than actual bees.
… Molly Jacobson, 1 May, 2009 - 11:15am login or register to post comments

Very pretty
I see some have been shot in California, and I hope I see one.
… Ron Hemberger, 21 April, 2009 - 12:22am login or register to post comments

 
Good luck!
I don't mean that they are scarce, far from it here in Tucson. I have noticed that males(?) will hover about 10-15 feet over the ground, so maybe they are territorial, or have a courtship display? They will also rest like this on vertical surfaces, so you might try walls and the sides of vertical cliffs in the morning hours.
… Eric R. Eaton, 21 April, 2009 - 12:37am login or register to post comments

 
Thanks for the info.
I'm not usually out early - nasty rush hour traffic - and not prone to searching what my pal Peter would call anthropomorphic vertical surfaces. I'd better broaden my perspective if I want to see more.
… Ron Hemberger, 21 April, 2009 - 9:46am login or register to post comments

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