Subject: What is this? A horsefly? A bee? Or a hybrid maybe?
Geographic location of the bug: Huntsville, Texas
Date: 11/24/2017
Time: 05:30 PM EDT
Hi. I found this at Sam Houston State University to be more specific. I’m not sure if it’s a bee or a fly, or even a new species. I’m in Forensics and our class needs to catch 20 bugs so that’s why it’s in two ziploc baggies. I was afraid it might bite or sting me through one bag. It looks sort of mean. While I don’t need to know, it would be cool if I knew what it is.
How you want your letter signed: Thank you, Sadie
Dear Sadie,
Normally we do not feel compelled to provide identifications for class projects, but something about your request resonated with us. This is a parasitoid Tachinid Fly in the family Tachinidae, and this is a very large family with many similar looking species. We believe based on images posted to the Flies of Goodwell and Texhoma, Texas Co. OK site that it is in the tribe Blondeliini. BugGuide has four pages of genera in that tribe, so a more specific identification might require an expert in the family.