Other Common Names
Virginia Bee Killer (suggested common name)
Identification
Medium-sized, fairly trim compared to some others in this genus. Thorax is fuzzy and yellow, abdomen is all black. "Beard" is yellow, and "sideburns" also yellow, not black as in L. thoracica. L. grossa is similar, but has yellow on the abdomen and is much plumper.
Laphria flavicollis and Laphria virginica are easy to confuse for anyone looking at eastern Laphria. The main gestalt things to look for are the hairiness of the black abdomen. In virginica it looks very fuzzy. In flavicollis it looks somewhat glossy. The golden hair on the top of the thorax looks more swept back and finely constructed in flavicollis than in virginica. And the legs on virginica have a reddish brown tone to the fuzz in good light.
… Herschel Raney, 4 May, 2006
Range
Southeastern United States.
Habitat
Woodlands, often pine or mixed pine/deciduous. Likes to sit in little sunny patches.
Season
April-June (North Carolina)
Food
Predatory on other insects.
Print References
Brimley, p. 338, lists it as
Bombomima virginica, cites it from Raleigh, Charlotte, both in the Piedmont.
(1)Internet References
One of the more common Laphria in the
NCSU Collection, with 18 pinned.
