Villa lateralis
(Say, 1823)
Villa lateralis is a of bee fly in the Bombyliidae, characterized by distinctive yellow and black banding on the and yellow thoracic hair. The species is widely distributed across North America and Central America. Like other bee flies, it is a , though specific relationships for this species remain poorly documented.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Villa lateralis: /ˈvɪl.lə ləˈtɛr.ə.lɪs/
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Identification
Can be distinguished from other Villa by the combination of yellow thoracic hair with yellow and black abdominal banding, greyish , and occasional presence of silvery terminal tufts. The faint yellow band at the base of the fourth segment, when present, provides an additional diagnostic character. Similar bee flies in the Villa may lack the distinct lateral yellow thoracic hair or show different abdominal color patterns.
Images
Appearance
have yellow hair along the sides of the . The displays yellow and black bands. The is greyish in coloration. Some specimens exhibit a faint yellow band at the base of the fourth abdominal segment, and silvery tufts on the terminal segment.
Distribution
North America and Central America.