Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Genus Aldrichia

bristly gray fly - Aldrichia ehrmanii bristly black fly - Aldrichia ehrmanii Bee Fly - Aldrichia ehrmanii Bee Fly - Aldrichia auripuncta Aldrichia ehrmanii? - Aldrichia ehrmanii Aldrichia ehrmanii? - Aldrichia ehrmanii Aldrichia ehrmanii Aldrichia ehrmanii
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon (Orthorrhapha)
Superfamily Asiloidea
Family Bombyliidae (Bee Flies)
Subfamily Bombyliinae
Tribe Conophorini
Genus Aldrichia
Explanation of Names
Aldrichia Coquillett 1894
named in honor of J.M. Aldrich, a prominent dipterist who provided the holotype of A. ehrmanii to D.W. Coquillett [info supplied by Joel Kits]
Numbers
2 spp., both in our area(1)
Size
body length 8-10 mm
Identification
all black; thorax and abdomen covered with sparse long hairs, mostly black but may also be light gray; wings "smoky" dark gray to blackish near costa, becoming clearer toward inner margin and especially near base; second antennal segment as long as the first or longer, and both cylindrical, stout, much thickened, and bristly; third segment flat but much widened in the middle, the apex with some long stiff hairs; marginal cell of wing not usually widened apically; three submarginal cells
Range
e. US (NY-NC to KS-TN)(1)
Season
flies in May-Jun
Food
A. ehrmanii adults have been reported on flowers of Shepherd's Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris), Long-styled Sweet-cicely (Osmorhiza longistylis), Philadelphia Fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus), and Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea), etc.