HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp

Clickable Guide

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Registration is open for the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2023

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29

Previous events

TaxonomyBrowse

Info

ImagesLinksBooksData

Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Orthorrhapha » Asiloidea » Robber Flies (Asilidae) » Laphriinae » Cerotainia » Cerotainia albipilosa

Species Cerotainia albipilosa

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Remarks · See Also · Print References · Works Cited

Tiny tiny Robber fly - Cerotainia albipilosa

small Robber Fly - Cerotainia? - Cerotainia albipilosa

Cerotainia - Cerotainia albipilosa - male

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon (Orthorrhapha)

Superfamily Asiloidea

Family Asilidae (Robber Flies)

Subfamily Laphriinae

Genus Cerotainia

Species albipilosa (Cerotainia albipilosa)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

None.

Explanation of Names

Cerotainia albipilosa Curran 1930

Size

7 to 8 mm long.

Identification

Area between eyes (frons) and top of head (vertex) very wide. Upper face and top of head has silvery-white pile. Eyes greenish.

Range

e. US (NY-FL to MI-KY-AR-TX)(1)

Habitat

Meadows, prefers grasses and weeds and often perches on tips of leaves and grass blades.

Season

Mid-June to mid-September

Food

Predators of small, usually flying insects like flies, beetles and wasps.

Remarks

Types:

Holotype as Cerotainia albipilosa male by Curran, 1930. Type Locality: North Carolina. In American Museum of Natural History, New York, N.Y. Allotype female also.

See Also

Cerotainia macrocera upper face and top of head has brownish-yellow hair. Brown eyes.

Print References

American Museum Novitates, 1930, #425, pp. 13 to 14 by Curran.

The Great Lakes Entomologist, 1975, Vol. 8, #2, Study of Asilidae of Michigan by Baker & Fischer, pp. 31 to 91.

Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 1977, Vol. 79, #4, pp. 535 to 554 by Scarbrough & Norden.

Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 1978, Vol. 80 #1: Ethology and Mating of Cerotainia albipilosa by Scarbrough, pp. 113 to 127 and pp. 179 to 190.

Works Cited

1.	Information on robber flies, compiled by F. Geller-Grimm

Contributed by john and jane balaban on 10 July, 2006 - 11:18am
Additional contributions by v belov, lee_penner
Last updated 12 May, 2020 - 5:45pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Printer Friendly Version