mydas vs. hornet
Location: Northern Indiana
August 25, 2011 10:21 am
This is not an ID request, but thought that other WTB addicts might appreciate it. This picture is not great quality, but here’s a link to the full video of a hornet attacking and decapitating a golden-legged mydas fly:
http://www.facebook.com/rumvillage#!/video/video.php?v=207796845940579&oid=116718851680137&comments
Signature: Vince
Bald Faced Hornet decapitates Gold Legged Mydas Fly
Hi Vince,
We were unsuccessful in locating a Golden Legged Mydas Fly online, but we did find Mydas tibialis on BugGuide. It is a species with no common name listed and it has been reported from Indiana. Your Food Chain image is wonderful. We wonder if the best Hornet hunters decapitate large and dangerous prey like Dragonflies, and then they communicate to the hive where to find the kill.
Mating Wasps
Location: Royal Oak, Michigan
July 25, 2011 6:19 pm
Dear Bugman,
Over the past couple of weeks (beginning mid-July) this guy has been seen flying around the yard and never let me approach closely enough for a photo. Until he became preoccupied… It becomes startled easily, but sits for long periods of time on the mulch in my garden, rarely landing on the plants. It’s about 1.5” long. It resembles some of the spider wasps or wood wasps, but I was a little overwhelmed trying to identify it myself. Thanks!
Signature: DaleShannon
Mating Mydas Flies
Hi Dale,
These mating Mydas Flies, Mydas clavatus, are excellent wasp mimics. You may read more about them on bugguide, where it is indicated: “Mating system in this species unknown. Different Mydas species apparently have different mating systems, including resource-defense polygyny and ‘hilltopping’.“ BugGuide does have at least one image of a mating pair.
Mydas Fly
¶ Posted 26 July 2011 § ‡ ° Tagged: bug love Massive Black Winged Thing
Location: South West Michigan
July 13, 2011 9:53 pm
This afternoon (July 13th) I was sitting outside around 4 pm when this really big insect landed on the mint in my garden. I thought it looked wasp-like on top, but the bottom looks more dragonfly-ish. It flew off after a bit and when it came towards me I ran. In my defence; it was over an inch long and looks rather badass.
I’ve asked several people but nobody knows! Any ideas? Thank you!
Signature: Erica
Mydas Fly
Hi Erica,
The Mydas Fly, Mydas clavatus, is actually a true Fly, though it does mimic certain wasps as a defense mechanism. It does not bite or sting, and despite its large size and fierce appearance, it is perfectly harmless.
¶ Posted 14 July 2011 § ‡ ° What’s this bug?
Location: Lake Texoma, Oklahoma
June 28, 2011 10:41 pm
My son took this picture of this bug on the shores of Lake Texoma, on the Oklahoma side, the weekend of June 25 of this year.
It’s rather large, maybe 2in. long and flies.
I cannot find it in your extensive library, which is impressive and very helpful.I wasn’t even sure what ”type” of insect to start the search. Didn’t find it under ”wasps” or ”bees” or ”flies”.
Help!
Signature: A. Gordon
Mydas Fly
Dear A. Gordon,
We admit that our vast archive can be quite daunting if you don’t know where to start. This is a Mydas Fly, Mydas clavatus, and it is an excellent mimic of Spider Wasps in the family Pompilidae. Once we lightened your photo a bit, the detail in the head and body was really revealed.
¶ Posted 29 June 2011 § ‡ ° Large Wasp in AZ
Location: Tuwhicson, AZ
June 24, 2011 8:52 pm
Hello,
I took this picture of this huge wasp-type insect in Tucson, AZ and I’ve been trying to figure out what it is. It was maybe about 1.5” – 2” in length. The closest-resembling thing I’ve been able to find is the tarantula hawk, but I’ve only read about those having black abdomens/bodies with orange wings. Can you please identify my bug?? Thanks!!
Best,
Brooke
Signature: Brooke
Mydas Fly
Hi Brooke,
This is not a Wasp. At first we thought it might be a Robber Fly, and we found a Robber Fly from Arizona on BugGuide, Archilestris magnificus, that is colored similarly, but alas, the antennae are quite different. We then shifted to what our first impression was, that this might be a Mydas Fly, and we found a photo from Colorado on BugGuide of Phyllomydas phyllocerus which matches quite nicely. Additionally, there is a nice closeup of a related individual from Florida on BugGuide that also looks close. We cannot say for certain that either the genus or species is correct, but we are relatively certain that this is in fact a Mydas Fly.
Hi Daniel,
Thanks for your help and your quick response!!! Your website is excellent. I started thinking after I posted my photo that it might be a fly because of the trumpet-shaped thing coming out of its face/mouth – or whatever flies bite/suck with. I’m not up on my insect terminology. That is one huge fly! I’m relieved to know that it’s not a tarantula hawk.
Thanks again,
Brooke
Hi Brooke,
You are correct that wasps and flies have very different mouth anatomies. Flies have a proboscis designed for sucking up food, and wasps have mandibles for chewing food. Here is how the Utah Education Network website describes the mouth of a fly: “Flies cannot chew. They have to suck up their food. Flies have mouth parts that absorb food like a sponge. Their food has to be in a liquid form in order for them to eat it. They have a tongue shaped like a drinking straw to slurp up their meals. Flies that eat nectar or blood do so by using their tongue which is called a proboscis. Even flies that eat other insects do so by sucking out the insides of their victims.”
Eric Eaton confirms ID
Daniel:
Sure looks like a Mydas sp. to me. Nice detective work!
Eric
¶ Posted 24 June 2011 § ‡ ° peach borer or mimic?
Location: powhatan county, virginia
June 17, 2011 10:22 am
there is a low-cut, decomposing stump in my flower bed, from a tree felled many years ago (hardwood, not fruit). when tending the flowers, i noticed and collected this insect, as well as several pupae cases (from which another like insect was emerging), from around the base of the stump on june 16, 2011.
i am not convinced it is a peach borer, because the antennae are very different, as are the eyes/head – more fly-like. the orange band is higher up on the abdomen, and the wings at rest fold over one another. i’m fairly certain it has only one set of wings. any info would be appreciated!
Signature: bugwatcher
Mydas Fly
Hi bugwatcher,
This incredible creature is a Mydas Fly, Mydas clavatus, and according to BugGuide, it is a: “Large black fly with red/orange mark on top (dorsum) of 2nd abdominal segment. Body hairless, cylindrical. Eyes large. Antennae are distinctively clubbed in the Mydidae. This species flies rather boldly in the open. With the black-and-orange pattern, it resembles a wasp and fools the casual observer.” The larvae live in compost piles, soil and rotting wood where they feed on June Beetle Larvae. According to BugGuide: “Eggs are laid singly in soil or rotting wood. (See video of oviposition–Flickr). Mydas larvae prey on beetle larvae, esp. those of June beetles. Larvae pupate close to soil (or wood?) surface. Adults are active only in mid-summer. Mating system in this species unknown.” You are observant in noticing that the Mydas Fly, in addition to mimicking Spider Wasps, looks very similar to a female Peach Tree Borer. The Peach Tree Borers are also wasp mimics, as you can see in this photo from our archives.
Mydas Fly Pupa
thank you so much. the more i talked about fly characteristics, i looked up all the flies on your site, and found Mydas after i had sent my email. i was thrilled to discover what it was, and promptly let it go. a beautiful fly, and a garden helper at that. when it flies, it has a very nice low buzz, also wasp-like and intimidating. i feel fortunate to have been able to examine it so closely during it’s brief adult stage. thank you again for your prompt response and devotion to the site.
1
¶ Posted 17 June 2011 § ‡ ° What is this bug?
June 14, 2010
This guy has been around the yard a couple times now. Pretty good size, maybe 1-1/2″ or so, jet black except for an orange band around it’s abdomen.
Thanks, Ben Hanson
Port Charlotte Florida
Mydas Fly
Hi Ben,
We received an email from you on May 21, and we posted your photo of a Mydas Fly. This is another view of the same species of Mydas Fly, Mydas clavatus. We apologize if we did not write back to you directly, but your previous letter has been on our site since then. We are postdating this letter to post live to our site during our absence in the coming week so that our readership will continue to get daily updates.
Daniel;
Thanks so much for the reply and information! I might have missed an earlier reply…
Thank you people for what you do. Your site and Facebook page is very highly entertaining and informative!
Ben
¶ Posted 16 June 2010 § ‡ ° Scarab hunter wasp?
May 21, 2010
Never seen anything like this intimidating looking insect. Maybe close to two inches long? It looks similar to those published on your website….
Ben
Port Charlotte Florida
Mydas Fly
Hi Ben,
This is a Mydas Fly, Mydas clavatus, and you can read more about Mydas Flies on BugGuide. Your observations are astute. A Mydas Fly, according to BugGuide: “Resembles a wasp of the family Pompilidae, and is presumably a Batesian mimic.“ BugGuide also indicates: “Mydas larvae prey on beetle larvae, esp. those of June beetles.“
¶ Posted 21 May 2010 § ‡ ° 
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