Lepidophora lepidocera

(Wiedemann, 1828)

Scaly Bee Fly

Lepidophora lepidocera is a Nearctic bee fly in the Bombyliidae, one of eight species in the Lepidophora. The genus is restricted to the New World, with L. lepidocera occurring in the eastern United States. display a distinctive hunch-backed body shape and are frequently observed visiting flowers for nectar. Larvae are kleptoparasites that usurp provisions from solitary nests rather than parasitizing the wasp larvae directly.

Lepidophora lepidocera by (c) Annika Lindqvist, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Annika Lindqvist. Used under a CC-BY license.Lepidophora lepidocera by (c) Sam Kieschnick, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Sam Kieschnick. Used under a CC-BY license.Lepidophora lepidocera by Bruce Marlin. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Lepidophora lepidocera: //ˌlɛpɪˈdɒfərə ˌlɛpɪˈdɒsɪrə//

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

Identification

Distinguished from the similar northern Lepidophora lutea by having pale restricted to the 5th abdominal segment; L. lutea has pale scales on both the 4th and 5th abdominal segments. Both species share the characteristic hunch-backed body shape that distinguishes the .

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Distribution

Eastern United States, from Florida and New York west to Texas and Colorado. The is restricted to the Nearctic region.

Diet

have been observed taking nectar from flowers, including tall boneset (Eupatorium altissimum).

Life Cycle

Larvae are kleptoparasites on the provisions of solitary in the Vespidae and Sphecidae, usurping nest provisions intended for wasp larvae rather than parasitizing the larvae directly.

Similar Taxa

  • Lepidophora luteaOverlaps in hunch-backed body shape; distinguished by pale scaling on 4th and 5th abdominal segments versus 5th only in L. lepidocera

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Sources and further reading