Species Mallophora orcina - Southern Bee Killer

Classification · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Season · Food · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Playing hard to get - Mallophora orcina - male - female

Robber Fly, Bee killer? - Mallophora orcina

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon (Orthorrhapha)

Superfamily Asiloidea

Family Asilidae (Robber Flies)

Subfamily Asilinae

Genus Mallophora (Bee Killers)

Species orcina (Southern Bee Killer)

Explanation of Names

Author of species is Wiedeman. Name likely refers to a larger predator, Orca orcina, the "killer" whale, or Orca. (Based on Internet searches.)

Size

20 mm

Identification

Large, hairy bumblebee mimic.

Range

Eastern United States: North Carolina (and further north?), west to Ohio, Missouri, south to Florida.

Season

July-September (North Carolina). April-August (Florida)

Food

Predatory on other insects, including bees.

See Also

Mallophora bomboides

"Similar to bomboides but smaller; ranges about 16 to 24mm (bomboides 24 to 27mm). Has first 4 tergites yellow haired (bomboides with tergites 1-3 yellow or white, but 4th is black)." [comment by Eric Fisher]

Print References

Brimley, p. 338 (1)

Internet References

Univ. Florida--Featured Creatures, gives key versus M. nigra, M. bomboides.

Herschel Raney

Bromley, Ohio Robber Flies V--reprint

Works Cited

1.	Insects of North Carolina By C.S. Brimley

Contributed by Hannah Nendick-Mason on 5 September, 2004 - 10:59am
Additional contributions by cotinis, Harsi S. Parker
Last updated 24 January, 2011 - 2:05pm

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