Explanation of Names
Author of genus is Meigen, 1822. Mallota appers to mean "of Mallus", which was a classical name for a region of Cilicia in Asia Minor. Crates of Mallota was a Greek philosopher, and poet/playwright as well, though the latter was possibly a different person. Perhaps there is a connection there, though it is not obvious. Speculation: Greek actors used masks--a reference to mimicry in this genus? (Based on Internet searches.)
Numbers
Neartica and Arnett
(1) list 11 North American species.
Identification
Adults are bumblebee mimics with very large hind femora. Resemble closely-related Eristalis in overall form.
Larvae have a tube-like breathing siphon at the tip of their tail.
Range
Includes eastern North America.
M. bautias is found in northeast, southeast, and Texas.
(1) M. posticata appears to be widespread in east: noted from Minnnesota, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Ontario.
Habitat
deciduous forests and edges; adults frequently visit flowers
Season
Spring, early summer. Perhaps late summer and early fall in south?
April-June, August-October (M. posticata, North Carolina).
May-June (M. posticata, Oklahoma, Minnesota), June-July (M. cimbiciformis, Minnesota).
April-June, July (M. bautias/facialis, Oklahoma).
May-July (M. bautias/posticata, Ontario).
Food
larvae are deposit feeders in water-filled tree holes
Remarks
Males show hilltopping behavior - they congregate in open areas of high elevation (hilltops, moraines, escarpments, clifftops) and wait for females to arrive to mate.
See Also
Bumblebees (Bombus, etc.), Bee-mimic Robberflies, such as Laphria, Mallophora.
Print References
Arnett, p. 887, describes
M. bautias (1)
Brimley, p. 353, lists three species--
climbiciformis, posticata, and
sackeni, for North Carolina.
(2)Internet References
Insects of Cedar Creek - has a brief description and photos of a couple of species
Mesoamerican Key to Mallota Species - is neat in that it describes newly discovered species
North Carolina State University Entomology lists three species for that state, with number pinned:
bautias (9),
posticatus =posticata (20),
sackeni (10)
Syrphidae of Oklahoma describes and keys genus, keys three species:
posticata, bautias, facialis, the last species of dubious validity.
Field Guide to Flower Flies of Ontario M. bautias, posticata live and pinned images with arrows indicating key field marks, plus other info (Jeff Skevington, Agriculture Canada)
