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Cranefly Love
Hi bugman love your job.
We have another example of Cranefly’s in the heat of the moment.
Rob from North Vancouver, British Columbia
Hi Rob,
Thanks for the image. It is nice to see that losing several legs, a common Cranefly disability, hasn’t hindered the process of procreation.
Mydas Fly?
Hi,
I just found your site, while trying to identify this fly we found in our house. It looks like a mydas fly from your other pictures, however this has distinctive black and white legs…any ideas?
Colin
Hi Colin,
This is actually the Black Soldier Fly, Hermetia illucens. They DO resemble mydas flies at first glance.
Huge Fly!
I just discovered your site because I was trying to identify a giant fly that we discovered yesterday in our fireplace. Nice site! Thankfully, this fly was behind the doors of the fireplace. It was in the around 90F yesterday so he didn’t live long in there and I got a chance to photo him today. I don’t keep the flu open, so I’m trying to figure out how he got in there. I do not see any flies on your site that look like this one. Attached are three photos. Hopefully the ‘perspective’ photo gives you an idea of his size.
Chris
by the way, I am in New Jersey.
Hi Chris,
Because of the large size and the clubbed antennae, we believe this to be a Mydas Fly in the Family Mydidae. Adults are predatory, feeding on caterpillars, flies, bees and Hemipterans. Though we are 99% sure this is a Mydas Fly, we are checking with Eric Eaton for a second opinion.
Ed. Note: Here is Eric Eaton’s quick response.
“That certainly is a mydas fly! Is the image in black and white? If so, it could be Mydas tibialis, which has no red band like M. clavatus, but has orange legs on a dark brown/black body. Mydas flies seem to be attracted to large, standing, hollow trees, so it might have mistaken the chimney for a tree and flown in. Flues do not close tightly enough to exclude insects is my bet, and so the thing made it all the way to the fireplace. They sure are intimidating, the loud droning buzz alone being quite ominous! Luckily they are harmless to people. Eric ”
bee like creature frightens dog
Hi!
Yesterday, ur dog Ellie alerted us to this bee-like creature in our backyard. It was frightening enough to throw her into a barking fit. Was she wise in warning us, or is this big guy harmless? (He/she is around 2 inches long..that is the bug not the dog.)
Thank you!
Amy Holloway
Austin, TX
Hi Amy,
This is actually a Robber Fly in the Family Asilidae and it preys on bees. It is harmless to you and your dog, but if you try to pick it up, it will probably bite.
Bug Love
bugman
I just today discovered your website. Awesome! Creepy – but really neat. I have a different picture, once I find it, of an as of yet unidentified bug. Noone knows what it is. But until I find that one, I have another submission for your Bug Love section. I went through your website, and think I identified this two in the picture. I’ve always been a city girl – and now live in a rural area of Central Virginia. Since moving here a year ago, I’ve seen more creepy crawlies than I knew existed. Last year, I went out the front door, totally oblivious to what was sitting on the door frame. I only noticed it when I turned around to lock the door. They were too.. involved… to notice me coming in and out of the door, so I got my camera. Are they crane flies mating? Thanks
Caron
Hi Caron,
Your Craneflies are indeed mating, and this represents the intimate activity of a new species for our Love Among the Bugs page. Thanks for the contribution.
Wingless Bug that Flies with it’s legs.
Hi Bugman,
How are you? I am a new resident living in Georgia State, where there used to be farms out in the country. Over the weekend i found 2 strage bugs. One was at a relative’s home north of Lake Lanier, with info from your site i was able to find its name… the extremely bright red Velvet Ant. The other i found at my home, its a large 1.5 inch fuzzy grey mosquito body, with spider looking legs that had a section of it covered in a velvet. It was on a wall, when it spread its leg and jumped off, it could glide vertical, side ways as it pleased. I caught it, put it in a cup to take a pic then released it, and it just spred its legs at the top of the cup and flew motionless all the way over to my neighbours yard. Here is a pic enclosed. Thanks for the wonderful site with pics and info about all the beautiful and strange bugs 
)
Chad
Gwinnett, GA.
Hi Chad,
Your mystery insect is a Phantom Crane Fly, Bittacomorpha clavipes. Your are correct in that it flies with its legs. The swollen tarsi catch air currents. Your specimen has lost two legs. The coloration helps the insect to vanish in the shade, hence the name Phantom. It is usually found near moist woods and stream margins.
flies or bees?
flies or bees? i’m guessing flies by the eyes. are they similar because they hold their wings out straight? both about 1/2 inch long.
Bennett
Hi Bennett,
We wrote to Eric Eaton to try to get a species name for your fascinating fly. Here is his response: ” Yes, that is a featherlegged tachinid fly in the genus Trichopoda. They are parasites of leaf-footed bugs and squash bugs, rarely stink bugs. Those raised white spots on the head or thorax of a leaf-footed bug are the eggs of this and related species in the genus. Eric”
Flies for your "Bug Love" page.
I found these flies vigorously engaging in bug love last month in Atlanta, GA. They’re very small and belong to the f amily Phoridae. I’m not sure of the exact species because flies in this family are very hard to identify. Thought you’d like to see the photo.
Bill DuPree
Atlanta, GA
Hi again Bill,
We always enjoy getting interesting photos from you and this is one of the best. Thanks for allowing us to post it.
We had this flying around our work and finally killed it. What in the world is it?
Poor Dead Robber Fly. This is a beneficial insect that often kills and eats other pestiferous flies.
Is it a bee?
I found this insect late in the evening on my porch. I live north of San Antonio, Texas. It is about an 1 – 1 1/4 inch (body length). It is black with one spot of yellow on its thorax and yellow between and below each eye. The wings are brown. All the legs are furry and the hind legs have furry patches. It looks like a very large bee, but in trying to identify this insect the only thing that even remotely resembles it, is the carpenter bee, but the markings are no where near similar. Could you please help me identify this insect. Thank you!!!!
Jamie Miller
Hi Jamie,
We located your Robber Fly, one of the Bee Hunters, on BugGuide. It is the Southern Bee Killer, Mallophora orcina. Adults feed on honey bees which the descend upon rapidly while the bee is unsuspecting. They sieze the bee by the thorax so the stinger cannot be used. Nice photo.
What is this insect?
While taking pictures of “butterfly weed” I noticed an odd/unusual flying insect which appeared to me to be a cross between a hummingbird and beetle. It was hard shelled and perhaps about the size of a nickel or quarter. Clear colored wings, metallic/iridescence looking colors of black, blue and green, (depending on the light source perhaps), golden colored eyes, no antennas that I could see, six legs and a very long proboscis. I’ve searched my field guides and nothing comes close. What is this insect? I live in North Central Arkansas. Thank you,
Kay Biggerstaff
Hi Kay,
We thought this might be a Bee Fly, but has never seen anything like it. So … as we always do when in doubt, we turn to Eric Eaton. Here is his excited response: “Holy moly! What a proboscis! I am pretty sure this is a small-headed fly in the family Acroceridae. They are not terribly common. Larvae are internal parasites of spiders, but usually have to crawl around looking for a host after mom deposits her eggs in spider habitat. Trapdoor spiders are often the victims. I’d love to see this posted to BugGuide, as I believe it would be a whole new family for that site. I hate to ask that, everytime you send a cool image, but that is what BugGuide is for. The more diversity there, the more helpful it is to people wondering what their mystery bug is:-) I appreciate your indulgence in forwarding such requests to the submitters. Thank you. Eric” If they are so rare, it is great to see them perpetuating the species. So Kay, if you don’t mind, I would like to submit the image to BugGuide as well.
Update (06/01/2006)
Lasia purpurata Bequaert
Wow! This fly is quite rare in collections. It is Lasia purpurata Bequaert, which has been recorded from Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Norm Woodley
Please help ID this late-night bug 
Hi folks! We spotted this wasp/moth tonight in our porch light and were wondering if you could help us ID it. We are in East Texas – Humble, to be exact. Thank you for any assistance you can give us!
Michael-Ann Belin & Jade Delorme
Humble, Texas
Hi Michael-Ann Belin & Jade Delorme
We just love getting new critters for our database. This is a Mydas Fly, Family Mydidae. Your species looks like Mydas clavatus. Adults are predatory and resemble wasps or robber flies. Adults eat caterpillars, other flies, bees, and true bugs. Larvae prey upon insects in the soil, especially June Beetle larvae. Though this fly appears sluggish, it is a rapid flier.
