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

Species Laphria virginica

Robber Fly #4 - Laphria virginica - male Mating Pair - Laphria virginica - male - female Hoverfly species or similar? - Laphria virginica Laphria virginica? - Laphria virginica Mating Laphria - Laphria virginica bumblebee mimic robber fly #2 - Laphria virginica Bee-like Robber fly - Laphria divisor or virginica? - Laphria virginica Laphria - 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 (Bee-like Robber Flies)
Species virginica (Laphria virginica)
Explanation of Names
Laphria virginica (Banks 1917)
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.