Carpenter Bee Fly mimic ID? - Cuterebra fontinella

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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Calyptratae » Oestroidea » Bot Flies (Oestridae) » New World Skin Bot Flies (Cuterebrinae) » Rodent and Lagomorph Bot Flies (Cuterebra) » fontinella group (Cuterebra fontinella group) » Mouse Bot Fly (Cuterebra fontinella) » Cuterebra fontinella fontinella

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Copyright © 2013 JumpSpidersInc

Carpenter Bee Fly mimic ID? - Cuterebra fontinella -

Palatka, Putnam County, Florida, USA
December 22, 2013

This unusual visitor landed on my windowsill. I thought it looked somewhat odd for a Carpenter Bee (which are very common in my area). Upon closer inspection, I realized (to my delight) it was a fly, not a bee. I could find no mouthparts whatsoever. She was loaded with eggs, which she laid everywhere she walked. You can see eggs in some of the photos. Here is a link to my album, to view more pics: http://s1285.photobucket.com/user/WickedAttraxion/library/Insects/Carpenter%20Bee%20Fly%20mimic%20-%20ID%20pending?sort=9&page=1
I would be most grateful for ID help, as I wish to study these more. Thank you in advance!

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Carpenter Bee Fly mimic ID? - Cuterebra fontinella - female

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Contributed by JumpSpidersInc on 29 December, 2013 - 9:53pm
Last updated 15 June, 2014 - 12:01pm

Moved

Moved from Rodent and Lagomorph Bot Flies.

… Ken Wolgemuth, 15 June, 2014 - 12:01pm

Cuterebra fontinella fontinella female

Sorry I missed your original post. But you nailed it. the white rump and darker back makes this Cuterebra fontinella fontinella to take it to subspecies for sure. And by the distance between the eye (and your eggs) it is a female. This is a bot which uses white footed mice as a host. Considering you saw it in winter, it likely emerged early from the heat of your home, so likely eggs were not fertile, as not likely a mate around at that time of year. Good detective work on the ID. Jeff Boettner

… George "Jeff" Boettner, 15 June, 2014 - 11:56am

Cuterebra fontinella?

After seeing the Genus posted, I took a look around and found this:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/676202
Needless to say, after reading the comments of the linked page, I will be disposing of the eggs. I had no idea this was a type of Bot fly.
Ken, thank you for moving this.

… JumpSpidersInc, 30 December, 2013 - 12:02am

Moved for expert attention.

Moved from ID Request.

… Ken Wolgemuth, 29 December, 2013 - 9:57pm

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