More on the Belzebul Robber Fly
August 20, 2009
These photos were taken today, Aug. 20th. These flies are still in our yard (first spotted on Aug. 6th), still hanging out among the crepe myrtle trees. I never did spot any fly eggs, but they certainly may be on the trees or grass. I think this is one of the robber flies with what appears to be a honeybee as prey. Sorry the photo isn’t very clear. The flies zip away if I get very close with the camera. This one flew away, prey and all. One fly is the gigantic one, and we have several that are smaller but seem to be the same species.
I read with interest the information cited about the robber flies; we don’t have any barnyards near, but we do have a creek bed behind us with tall sedges and grasses, and we are on the edge of town with extensive cow pastures/brushy areas beginning one block away. Love your website!
Ellen
Coryell County, Texas, where it is HOT and we’re in drought conditions
Bee Killer Kills Bee
Hi Ellen,
There are at least 3 different species of Bee Killers in the genus Mallophora that live in Texas, and though your previous submission was identified by us as a Belzebul Bee Eater, we believe this specimen to be a Southern Bee Killer, Mallophora orcina, based on the coloration of the beard and abdomen as depicted on BugGuide.
Follow0up
Possible Young Belzebul Bee Eater or Something Else?
August 20, 2009
I’m not sure if this is a young Belzebul Bee Eater or not. I’m sending two photos of the original gigantic Belzebul (8-6-09) and a new photo of one of the smaller flies I’m seeing around the yard (8-20-09). The eyes and antennae seem the same, but the smaller insects have yellow hair on the abdomens and not as much black hair on the legs.
I sent some photos earlier today of one of these smaller flies with honeybee prey.
I had a thought about the eggs also. Although we don’t have a compost pile or barnyard, we do have mulch in all of the gardens. We may be hatching Belzebul eggs as well as a myriad of spiders, caterpillars and beetles. 
It’s summertime and the living is easy but it’s very hot. Thanks.
Ellen
Coryell County, Central Texas
Southern Bee Killer
Hi Ellen,
This confirms what we wrote back on the earlier email. We believe this is a Southern Bee Killer.
wooly bear hover fly (eristalis flavipes)?
August 20, 2009
Found at 8700′ elevation on the summit of Robinson Peak in Washington’s Pasayten Wilderness
Tvashtar
8700′ Pasayten Wilderness WA
Bot Fly
Dear Tvashtar,
We looked on BugGuide, and we believe your identification of a Woolly Bear Hover Fly, Eristalis flavipes, is correct. The species mimics Bumble Bees in appearance and behavior.
Correction by Eric Eaton
August 29, 2009
Daniel:
… Thanks for the prompt. I do have a couple other corrections: …
The “woolly bear hover fly” is actually something much more uncommon: one of the bot flies that afflicts horses or deer or sheep. I’ll try to get my friend Jeff Boettner to investigate, as he knows that family very well. Meanwhile, if the person wants to submit the image to Bugguide, that would be great. There are precious few images anywhere of these insects. …
Eric
Is it a male or a queen ant?
August 19, 2009
Found on my patio crawling on leaf of silver morning glory. Now I know why suddenly there are ants in the house after 3 years. Best educated guess is that they came from soil and/or plants I purchased. Worker ants are dark brown or black with the same color and light yellow or white stripes on the stomach.
Pong A.
Bangkok, Thailand
Flying Ant from Thailand
Dear Pong,
This Flying Ant is one of the reproductive kings or queens as worker ants do not possess wings. We haven’t much knowledge on Asian species but perhaps one of our readers will be able to provide you with an exact identification. We are going to take a guess that this might be a reproductive Weaver Ant or Green Ant in the genus Oecophylla. We did find a photo that seems to support that guess. Wikipedia also has an extensive pop culture page on the Green Ants of Thailand.
2
¶ Posted 20 August 2009 § Ants ‡ ° CA mantis, maybe Litaneutria?
August 19, 2009
Unknown sex/species mantis nymph, found 8/1/2009 on the ground in the foothills of Northern CA. Distinctive: Three short “spikes” in a ridge along its abdomen. Mottled grey coloring is great camoflage on bark.
Robin & Maddie
Sierra foothills, CA (scrub oak/pine)
Ground Mantid
Hi Robin and Maddie,
We believe you are correct in your assessment that this mantis is a Ground Mantid in the genus Litaneutria. There is a photo on BugGuide that looks very close and shows the ridges on the abdomen.
Moth or ??
August 19, 2009
I found this moth like buy in front of my garage door under where the hallogen light is. Usually I find many lunar moths there but found this today. Approx 3 inches long, narrow moth like bug. Pinchers on the front and antenae above the pinchers.
Do you have any idea what it is? I have searched some moth web sites etc,,,,but cannot find anything similar.
Thanks
Deb
Central Maine USA
Male Dobsonfly
Hi Deb,
Now that you know that this is a male Dobsonfly, you should be able to locate a wealth of online information. Female Dobsonflies have much smaller mandibles. Since we just finished posting some marvelous images of a female Dobsonfly from Peru, we feel compelled to post your photo as well.
Bumblebee love
August 19, 2009
I looked out the window, at my humming bird feeder, and saw bees not birds. You might say the birds and bees. It’s what my mother called it. So, I grabed my camera, and out the door. Now the hard part. The humming bird feeder is outside my bedroom window, on the second floor. So I got a step ladder, and went up. As you can see the sun was on the wrong side. I moved the ladder to the other side. On that side is a steep bank. So here I am standing on one leg leaning out, to keep the ladder from falling. I’m holding the camera in one hand, leaning out to get close enough to get the shot. I wasn’t vary steady or close. So the quality of the last photo isn’t the best. If I live another 60 years, I doubt I’ll ever see this again. I plan to print one of these, and give it to my brother, who works at an art shop, to frame, for my wall.
Terry
Mound, MN
Mating Bumble Bees
Hi Terry,
We think your photos are very nice, and since we teach photography, our opinion should count for something. Even if the photos were terrible, we would post them because we love your letter so much. The unbridled enthusiasm your expressed at witnessing this apian union is priceless. We don’t feel qualified to identify what species your amorous Bumble Bees belong to since the BugGuide archive is quite daunting, but perhaps one or our readers will be helpful with the species identification.
Mating Bumble Bees
Daniel,
Thank you so much for the kind words. High praise indeed, from a professional like yourself.
These mating bumblebees were Identified, as Bombus impatiens, by a young man that goes by Vespula Vulgaris. Take a look, http://www.bugguide.net/nod/view/162893 . I’m no expert, but it looks like a match to me.
I have more photos to send you, but my computer is running slow. And before the photo has loaded, it shuts down. I guess it’s true what they say about old dogs.
Winged bug on our yard
August 19, 2009
This morning my boys found this winged bug crawling on the grass. We know it must fly because of it’s wings, but it has just been crawling around. We found it in the morning just after the sun came into the yard. It appears to have pincers on its head and rears up when we get near it. Any help would be great! Thanks!
Stacey
Abancay, Peru (Andes mtns-approx 8,000ft)
Dobsonfly from Peru
Hi Stacey,
If you run into our co-workers from LACC, two hot American college professors named Sharon and Naima who are vacationing in the Andes, please say “hola” for us. This is an awesome looking Dobsonfly in the family Corydalidae, but we haven’t a clue what species it is. We suspect it is a female Dobsonfly as males have much more formidable mandibles.
Dobsonfly from Peru
Your photos are all so dramatic, we are going to post all three.
Dobsonfly from Peru
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