Laphria (fly)
| Laphria | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Laphria species | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Asilidae |
| Subfamily: | Laphriinae |
| Genus: | Laphria Meigen, 1803 |
Laphria, the bee-like robber flies, is a genus described by Johann Wilhelm Meigen in 1803, belonging to the family Asilidae, subfamily Laphriinae.
This genus has an Holarctic ecozone distribution, occurring from the British Isles, across Europe and Asia, to Japan, as well as across the whole North America.
The adults average sizes reach 15–25 millimetres (0.59–0.98 in). These huge robber flies are quite hairy, their body is usually black, while the bee-mimicking abdomen shows black and yellow stripes. They can be encountered from July through September.
They generally prey on insects of various species, including other robber flies, bees, wasps and beetles. Their characteristic mouth allow the species of Laphria to penetrate their sclerotized proboscis in between the elytra of preyed beetles. All the preys are dissolved by special enzymes injected in their bodies, which are then sucked out by the predator.
Species
- Laphria aurea (Fabricius, 1794)
- Laphria auriflu Gerstaecker, 1862
- Laphria bomboide Macquart in Lucas, 1849
- Laphria coarctata Dufour, 1833
- Laphria dizonias Loew, 1847
- Laphria empyrea Gerstaecker, 1862
- Laphria ephippium (Fabricius, 1781)
- Laphria flava (Linnaeus, 1761)
- Laphria flavescens Macquart, 1838
- Laphria galathei Costa, 1857
- Laphria gibbosa (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Laphria grossa (Fabricus, 1775)
- Laphria hecate Gerstaecker, 1862
- Laphria leucocephala Meigen, 1804
- Laphria meridionalis Mulsant & Revelière, 1860
- Laphria nigripennis Meigen, 1820
- Laphria nitidula (Fabricius, 1794)
- Laphria scutellata Macquart, 1835
- Laphria vulpina Meigen, 1820
More species of the genus Laphria
References
- W. L. Mcatee - Key to the Nearctic Species of the genus Laphria (Diptera, Asilidae) - Kb.osu.edu
- Stephen W. Bullington, Ph.D. - Users.usachoice
- Herschel Raney - Laphria of Arkansas