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Photo#1369952
Phthiriini nectar-robbing manzanita flowers - male

Phthiriini nectar-robbing manzanita flowers - Male
Walker Ridge, Lake County, California, USA
March 19, 2017
Perching on a manzanita leaf.

This bee fly keys to subfamily Phthiriinae, tribe Phthiriini in the MND(1)...major diagnostic character are: Eyes entire along posterior edge; occiput not swollen/bilobate above; setae present but no strongly developed bristles on thorax and legs; abdomen tapering-cylindrical (not swollen apically); R4+5 branched; first flagellomere stout, blunt, with a minute stylus arising from a small sulcus before apex; Crossvein dm-cu present, closing off discal cell distally; proboscis long, projecting; four posterior cells (i.e. vein M2 present); R2+3 originating proximal to base of cell dm.

In the current circumscription of nearctic Phthiriini there are two genera: Acreophthiria and Neacreotrichus. From Joel's comment here, the black, pilose condition here suggests Neacreothichus. Evenhuis & Greathead(2) list 4 species of Neacreothichus in California: diversus, florale, humilis, and vittiventris.

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Phthiriini nectar-robbing manzanita flowers - male Phthiriini nectar-robbing manzanita flowers - male Phthiriini nectar-robbing manzanita flowers - male Phthiriini nectar-robbing manzanita flowers - male