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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Orthorrhapha » Asiloidea » Robber Flies (Asilidae) » Laphriinae » Bee-like Robber Flies (Laphria) » Laphria thoracica
Photo#667653
Bumblebee mimic? - Laphria thoracica
Copyright © 2012 Tim Turner

Bumblebee mimic? - Laphria thoracica
Beavercreek, Greene County, Ohio, USA
June 16, 2012
Size: 1"
My seven year old daughter spotted this insect resting on a leaf of my 'Emerald Triumph' Viburnum. As she said, it seemed an odd place for a bumblebee.

Images of this individual: tag all
Bumblebee mimic? - Laphria thoracica Bumblebee mimic? - Laphria thoracica Bumblebee mimic? - Laphria thoracica
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Contributed by Tim Turner on 2 July, 2012 - 10:29pm
Last updated 24 July, 2012 - 8:39pm

Moved
Moved from Flies.
… Ben Coulter, 24 July, 2012 - 8:39pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… john and jane balaban, 24 July, 2012 - 7:59pm login or register to post comments

Laphria thoracica
*
… Ben Coulter, 22 July, 2012 - 11:44pm login or register to post comments

 
Thank you
for the ID Ben.
… Tim Turner, 23 July, 2012 - 5:27am login or register to post comments

Asilidae
Nice pictures of this robber fly! All robber flies aren't bumblebee mimics, but the ones I've found that are do a pretty good job at it - as this one does. Notice the thick piercing mouthpart partly hidden by the "beard." This is a sure give away that this fly is an asilid. These are predators that go after other insects, including wasps. Some can "bite."
… Joe, 3 July, 2012 - 12:16am login or register to post comments

 
The similarity
of appearance to a bumblebee is amazing, but the behavior is a giveaway. It might have fooled me, but did not deceive my seven year old daughter.
… Tim Turner, 3 July, 2012 - 5:43am login or register to post comments

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