Species Laphria virginica - Pinewoods Laphria

Classification · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Works Cited

Mating Pair - Laphria virginica - male - female

Hoverfly species or similar? - Laphria virginica

Is this Laphria virginica? - Laphria virginica

Laphria - Laphria virginica - male - female

Laphria flavicollis? - Laphria virginica

bumblebee mimic robber fly #2 - Laphria virginica

Bee-like Robber fly - Laphria divisor or virginica? - Laphria virginica

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon (Orthorrhapha)

Superfamily Asiloidea

Family Asilidae (Robber Flies)

Subfamily Laphriinae

Genus Laphria

Species virginica (Pinewoods Laphria)

Explanation of Names

Laphria virginica (Banks 1917)

Pinewoods Laphria: https://www.robberfliesoftheworld.com/NA_CommonNames.php

Size

13-20 mm

Identification

Easy to confuse with L. flavicollis. The main gestalt things to look for are the hairiness of the black abdomen, very fuzzy in virginica but somewhat glossy in flavicollis. The golden hair on the top of the thorax looks more swept back and finely constructed in flavicollis. And in virginica, the legs have a reddish brown tone to the fuzz in good light. --Herschel Raney, 4.v.2006

Range

e. US (MA-FL to OH-TN)(1)

Habitat

Woodlands, often pine or mixed pine/deciduous. Likes to sit in little sunny patches.

Season

Apr-Jun in NC(2)

Works Cited

1.	Information on robber flies, compiled by F. Geller-Grimm

2.	Insects of North Carolina C.S. Brimley. 1938. North Carolina Department of Agriculture.

Contributed by Cotinis on 23 December, 2004 - 7:59am
Additional contributions by john and jane balaban, v belov, Chris Cohen
Last updated 8 June, 2024 - 10:22pm

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