Wow, what a fly! I had to do some work in the dunes today. As I was walking back I noticed this fly landing on the sand. Even from a distance the colors looked interesting, so I bent down for a closer look. Such beautiful metallic purple and copper coloration! [You can click on the image for a larger version.]
I think this is a type of bee fly (Bombyliidae), but I'm not sure which species. If you have any bee fly contacts that could help with an identification, let me know.
6 comments:
This critter is GORGEOUS!!!
Hi, Alice!
Yes! All dressed up for a dune gala! ;)
Jackie
It is beautiful indeed. But... Bombycillidae seems to be a bird family. https://www.britannica.com/animal/Bombycillidae
It looks like you meant Bombyliidae, which seems to be yet another not-bee for me to become familiar with, besides hoverflies and mason bees and I don't know what else. Well, maybe mason bees are actually bees, just not honeybees.
The insect world is vast and fascinating! Thank you for sharing all your sightings!!
Hi!
Good catch! I was just typing along and more often have bird families in my head than bee families. So I corrected the family name in this post to Bombyliidae.
Thanks again!
Jackie
Hi Jackie,
I have been searching for the possible identification of this insect, and I think that it is Exoprosopa iota.
David
Hi, David! Thanks very much! I'll check it out! :) Jackie
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