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Bee-like robber fly

Laphria index/ithypyga

Description:

I believe this may be a type of Robber Fly

Habitat:

Where woodlands butt up to a mowed grass trail, wildflowers, reeds and a creek

Notes:

Fairly non-aggressive towards humans unless you pester them too much, as I apparently did with this one. I got the picture but got buzzed in the face for having done so. No subsequent sting or bite however, so maybe just a gentle warning to back off?

1 Species ID Suggestions

BugEric
BugEric 10 years ago
Bee-like robber fly
Laphria index/ithypyga index or ithypyga - BugGuide.Net


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2 Comments

JanelleL.Streed
JanelleL.Streed 10 years ago

BugEric-Thank you so much for your help identifying or suggesting an identification for this bee-like robber fly! It says 62 species exists in "our area". Does that mean throughout the US? Any idea how many we might find just in the upper mid-west or MN area? And, would that number include ALL robber flies or just the bee-like robber flies? Just curious. What I used to think were flies or bees have turned out to be robber flies more often than not, especially when I see them killing or eating another insect. Does that make them carnivores? Do bees or flies, other than robber flies, ever do this?

BugEric
BugEric 10 years ago

Could easily be another Laphria sp., so emphasis on "suggestion."

JanelleL.Streed
Spotted by
JanelleL.Streed

Minnesota, USA

Spotted on Jun 25, 2013
Submitted on Feb 17, 2014

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