bristly black fly - Aldrichia ehrmanii

Moved

… Joel Kits, 9 June, 2008 - 4:17pm

Hello Robin,

Your fly seems to be in the genus Aldrichia, tribe Conophorini, subfamily Bombyliinae, Family Bombyliidae.

See the key to the genera of Bee Flies in Cole & Schlinger, The Flies of Western North America (UC Press, 1968), pp.225-229. Although Aldrichia is an eastern genus, it was was taken, according to the authors, in the midwestern states of Ohio, Missouri, and Kansas. Aldrichia ehrmannii is described as "about 10mm in length, smoky-winged, with body pile sparse, long, and largely black".

Two species in the genus: A. ehrmannii (distr.: ILL, KS, MI, MO,NJ, NY, OH, PA); A. auripuncta (distr.: NC, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV). Reference: World Catalog of Bee Flies (Diptera: Bombyliidae), Pt.I. Evenhuis, NL & Greathead, DJ (1999).

Pictorial reference, an image by B. Marlin, see http://cirrusimage.com/flies_bee.htm

Above may also help with your image #8910.

I'm fascinated with the seemingly endless diversity in the insect world, and all other life forms. May I recommend a fascinating book, with ample information on recent research into the origin of novelty:

Endless Forms Most Beautiful. Carroll, Sean B. (2005; ISBN 0-393-06016-0).

… Hartmut Wisch, 8 May, 2006 - 11:50am

Book

Wonderful book. Just finished it last week.

… Herschel Raney, 29 May, 2007 - 10:58am

Hello Herschel,

you may be similarly drawn into the thought-provoking The Plausibility of Life , by Marc Kirschner and John Gerhart (2005. Yale Univ. Press).

… Hartmut Wisch, 30 May, 2007 - 10:43am

Aldrichia species

Thanks very much, Hartmut. Herschel Raney has a site with good illustrations of body parts and wing venation. My other photo also has the same wing venation and other features, so I moved it and this image from the family page, and added your info and what else I could find to the new genus page.

I couldn't find any records of the genus occurring in Ontario; perhaps this is the first Canadian record (?)

… Robin McLeod, 8 May, 2006 - 8:50pm

Great,

now we have another genus in the Conophorini tribe. As you know, you are (though in Canada) situated right in the middle of three US states from where records exist, at least for ehrmanni. So, this may be a first.

… Hartmut Wisch, 8 May, 2006 - 11:27pm

Bee fly

Definitely a bee fly in the family Bombyliidae. Resembles Lepidophora sp., but those usually have a "broken back" appearance.

… Eric R. Eaton, 6 December, 2004 - 10:28am

Phew

Glad that I least partially covered my ass! As is apparent, the variation in beeflies is also greater in North America. ;-)

Paul

http://www.diptera.info

… Paul Beuk, 6 December, 2004 - 3:43pm

Therevidae?

It might well be the same species as the previous one with that difference that the first one is a female and this is a male. Similar differences withinthe family Therevidae are not uncommon.

Paul

http://www.diptera.info

… Paul Beuk, 5 December, 2004 - 3:12pm

Stiletto Fly

If that's the case, it may even be that these two were a pair, as I saw them just minutes apart in the same area. I hadn't seen them before and haven't seen any since; will have to check that area again next spring.

… Robin McLeod, 5 December, 2004 - 10:09pm