hunchback bee fly

not listed

NNR - Unranked

not listed

Hunchback bee fly is a medium-sized bee fly with a distinctly hunch-backed appearance. It is a mimic of a robber fly.

The beak (proboscis) is extended.

The thorax is densely covered with yellow hair-like scales except in three longitudinal, black stripes. It does not have long, curved, bristle-like hairs.

The sides of the first four abdominal segments (A1–A4) are covered with yellow scales. A5 has black scales above and white, yellowish-white, or yellow scales on the side. A6–A8 are covered with black scales. A9–A10 are part of the external genitalia.

The wings have dark but faint patterns. They are held outstretched and swept back at rest. The first branch of the terminal fork of the median vein is behind the wing tip.

The legs are slender.

Scaly bee fly (Lepidophora lepidocera) usually has no pale scales on the sides of the fourth abdominal segment. There is a distinct fringe at the end of the abdomen.

July to September

Larvae eat the collected food and/or the larvae of solitary wasps.

Flower nectar

Sources

24, 29, 30, 82.

The family Bombyliidae was formerly placed in Muscomorpha, one of two infraorders of Brachycera, a suborder of Diptera. However, Brachycera did not contain all of the descendants of the last common ancestor (paraphyletic). It was split into five extant (still existing) and one extinct infraorder. Orthorrhapha is now considered obsolete and has not been used in decades, but it persists in printed literature and on some online sources. A recent revision of the order Diptera (Pope, et al., 2011) revived the name Orthorrhapha, but this has not been widely accepted.

A very unusual insect!

Location: Pinawa, Manitoba

Location: Yucatan Township, MN

Location: Albany, NY

Location: Britt, Minnesota

Location: near Houston, MN

Location: Lake Linden, MI

very cool to see this and to be able to identify it based on your photo.  I have video and pics if you’d like them.

Location: Harriet Lake, Forest Service camping area in Lake Co.

Location: 5 miles west of Pennington, MN in Beltrami County.   

A very unusual insect!  

Location: Lake Shore, MN

This little critter landed on my arm as I was watering. He stayed for quite awhile licking my arm with that tiny forked "tongue". Whether it was a few water droplets or salt, he stayed on my arm for quite awhile and was able to call for my husband to "GET MY CAMERA"!!

Location: Itasca State Park

Location: Pennington Co., MN

Weird little insect it is, a Hunchback Bee Fly, flitting about the deck this evening.