That is Not a Bumble Bee

I thought I had been fooled enough by insect mimics, especially flies. Apparently not, after photographing this fly on Culver's Root on the weekend.

Unlike Robber Flies, this fly mimic, falls in the Syrphidae family along with the tiny flower flies that visit flowers. This particular syrphid fly, Eristalis flavipes behaves like a Bumble Bee, buzzing while flying and nectaring on flowers.

My first clue that this was a fly was the short antenna. Bumble Bees have much longer antenna. The other clue was that the black and yellow coloration did not match any of my bumble bee guides.

Robber Flies (Laprhia sp shown here), are also Bumble Bee mimics. Instead of visiting flowers like the Syrphid Fly above, they are voracious predators of other insects. Note the bearded face. They will perch on leaves waiting for their prey to fly by.

Robber Flies: Wolves in Sheep's Clothing

No, that's no bumble bee. It's actually a fly dressed like a bee (bee mimic). This disguise tricks predators into thinking that they're a stinging insect so they're left alone. On the flip side, they are voracious hunters as they predate and ambush their insect prey.

I was excited to spot this Robber Fly (Laphria flavicollis) the other day in the garden. It gave away its true identity when it landed and folded its two wings back behind it.

Other differences between these flies and bees include the hairy beards and wide set eyes "to scan for appropriate prey. They generally dart out from their perches to capture other insects, which they usually impale with their snout, forward-facing mouthparts, usually penetrating the victims through the neck or other chinks in the prey's chitinous armor. Robber flies use their mouthparts not only to impale prey, but also to inject a mixture of powerful nerve poisons and enzymes that liquefy the tissues of their victims. (Insects, Their Natural History and Diversity)

Another Laphria species, Laphria sericea was photographed in the yard last week. These flies are "common sights along woodland paths, where they sit on exposed leaves or twig tips and scan a discrete search area for potential prey." (Insects, Their Natural History and Diversity) This Robber Fly has distinctive orange hairs that cover the abdomen and thorax.

Another photo of Laphria sericea (atkis complex) that I photographed at a local park last year.

"Robber flies are strong flyers, and usually capture prey on the wing. It is not unusual for them to capture insects larger than themselves". (Insects of the North Woods)
Read an earlier post about Bee Mimics