Bombylius helvus

Wiedemann, 1821

Bombylius helvus is a North American bee fly first described by Christian Rudolph Wilhelm Wiedemann in 1821. As a member of the Bombyliidae, it shares the characteristic -mimicking appearance and parasitic larval typical of this diverse group of flies. The species belongs to the Bombylius, which is distinguished from related genera such as Systoechus by wing venation characters including the position of the r-m .

Bee Fly - Bombylius helvus - Glendening Tract, Jug Bay Sanctuary, Lothian, Maryland by Judy Gallagher. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Bombylius helvus: /bɒmˈbɪliəs ˈhɛlvəs/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

can be distinguished from the related Systoechus by the position of the r-m on the wing. Members of Bombylius are generally active in spring, whereas Systoechus tend to be active in fall. Specific diagnostic features for B. helvus versus other Bombylius species are not documented in available sources.

Images

Habitat

Open sandy areas including sand prairie remnants. have been observed resting on sandy ground.

Distribution

North America. Specific range details beyond continent-level are not documented in available sources.

Seasonality

Spring activity period, consistent with the -level pattern where Bombylius are typically spring-active.

Similar Taxa

  • Bombylius mexicanusSimilar appearance and spring activity pattern; both belong to Bombylius and share the characteristic wing venation and -mimicking . B. mexicanus has been documented from sand prairie in Missouri.
  • Systoechus speciesSimilar overall bee fly , but distinguished by wing venation (position of r-m ) and typically fall rather than spring activity.

Tags

Sources and further reading