The preceding photograph shows a Bumble Bee-like Robber Fly (Laphria grossa) perching near a vernal pool at Huntley Meadows Park on 22 July 2014.
I think the Bumble Bee-like Robber Fly looks like a lost member of ZZ Top! More conventional thinkers see them differently.
A mimic of a Bombus (Psithyrus). Source Credit: Species Laphria grossa, BugGuide.
Copyright © 2014 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
Tags: Bumble Bee-like Robber Fly, Huntley Meadows Park, Laphria grossa, robber flies, vernal pool, wildlife photography
walter sanford's photoblog 
March 4, 2015 at 7:03 pm |
Hi Walter, this is Laphria grossa. Laphria macquarti doesn’t occur in Virginia, and has mostly black facial hair.
March 4, 2015 at 9:34 pm |
Thanks for the correction, Ben! Hey, at least I know someone is reading my blog carefully! But seriously, as a former K-12 science teacher I am a stickler for not spreading misinformation. Thanks for setting the record straight!
Editor’s Note: I updated this post to reflect Ben’s species suggestion, so readers may be a little confused.