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Photo#1707403
What in the World? - Laphria

What in the World? - Laphria
Ladys Island, Beaufort County, South Carolina, USA
April 4, 2018
Looks like a mosaic of different animal parts! Some sort of mimicry? Never seen anything like it. I found this specimen dead on my porch in the morning and took this photo. It had disappeared when I returned a short time later to collect it for closer examination. Wind probably blew it off the porch.

I didn't realize that the b
I didn't realize that the black projection is actually the proboscis. I'm certain you both are correct. I learned a lot about robber flies as a result.

Moved
Moved from Flies.

Thanks. Your comment is very
Thanks. Your comment is very helpful.

Could it be a bot fly? Cephe
Could it be a bot fly? Cephenemyia sp.

 
no
other than both having yellow "fur", the shape of your fly's head is very different from that of a bot fly. Compare the antennae and mouthparts of the 2 genera

robber fly
looks like a Laphria

 
2nd vote for robber fly
I agree, it sort of looks like the front half of a robber fly, missing the abdomen

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