Bee-flies
Guides
Acreophthiria
Acreophthiria is a genus of bee flies in the family Bombyliidae, established by Evenhuis in 1986. It belongs to the subfamily Phthiriinae and tribe Phthiriini. The genus is known from the Neotropical region, with species documented primarily from Brazil. As with other bombyliids, members are likely parasitoids, though specific host associations remain poorly documented.
Aldrichia
Aldrichia is a genus of bee flies (Bombyliidae) endemic to North America, established by Coquillett in 1894. The genus contains two described species: A. ehrmanii (the type species) and A. auripuncta. As members of the tribe Conophorini, these flies share characteristics with other bee flies including a parasitoid or hyperparasitoid life history strategy, though specific biological details for the genus remain poorly documented.
Amphicosmus
Amphicosmus is a genus of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) containing five described species. The genus was established by Coquillett in 1891 and is classified within the subfamily Tomomyzinae. Members of this genus share the general characteristics of bee flies, including a parasitoid life history strategy. The genus is poorly documented in scientific literature, with limited species-level descriptions and biological data available.
Aphoebantini
Aphoebantini is a tribe of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) comprising approximately 5 genera and at least 80 described species. Members are classified within the subfamily Anthracinae. The tribe includes genera such as Aphoebantus, Cononedys, Epacmus, Eucessia, and Pteraulax. As with other bee flies, adults likely function as pollinators and larvae are presumed parasitoids, though specific life histories remain poorly documented for most species.
Aphoebantus
bee flies
Aphoebantus is a genus of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) containing at least 80 described species. The genus was established by Loew in 1872 and is classified within the subfamily Anthracinae and tribe Aphoebantini. Some taxonomic authorities consider Epacmus to be a synonym or subset of Aphoebantus rather than a distinct genus. The genus is characterized by small, fuzzy bee flies that exhibit potential predator mimicry of jumping spiders.
Aphoebantus scalaris
Aphoebantus scalaris is a species of bee fly (family Bombyliidae) first described by Melander in 1950. The genus Aphoebantus belongs to the subfamily Anthracinae and tribe Aphoebantini. Some authorities have suggested that the genus Epacmus may represent a subset of Aphoebantus rather than a distinct genus.
Apolysis
Apolysis is a genus of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) established by Loew in 1860, containing at least 120 described species. The genus belongs to the subfamily Usiinae and tribe Apolysini. Bee flies in this genus are parasitoids or predators with life histories typical of the Bombyliidae family. The genus name derives from the Greek term for separation or discharge, though this etymological connection to the molting process is coincidental rather than biological.
Asiloidea
asiloid flies
Asiloidea is a large superfamily of true flies (Diptera: Brachycera) with cosmopolitan distribution. It comprises approximately 11 families including the well-known Asilidae (robber/assassin flies), Bombyliidae (bee flies), Therevidae (stiletto flies), Mydidae (mydas flies), and Scenopinidae (window flies). Adult morphology is characterized by antennae with no more than 4 flagellomeres, leg empodium usually setiform or absent, and wing venation featuring an elongate cell cup with vein CuA2 ending freely or meeting A1 near the wing margin. Larval synapomorphies include posterior spiracles arising dorsally from the penultimate abdominal segment and, in most families except Bombyliidae and Hilarimorphidae, a modified cranium forming a hinged metacephalic rod.
DipteraBrachyceraAsiloidearobber-fliesbee-fliesstiletto-fliesmydas-flieswindow-fliescosmopolitanarid-habitatspredatory-larvaeflower-visitorsparasitoidsbiological-controlAsilidaeBombyliidaeTherevidaeMydidaeScenopinidaeApioceridaeApsilocephalidaeApystomyiidaeEvocoidaeHilarimorphidaeMythicomyiidaeProtapioceridaephylogenysystematicsvenomouspredatorymystaxmetacephalic-roddichopticholopticJurassicCretaceoustherevoid-cladeNamib-DesertCanary-IslandsSaudi-ArabiaDominicaChileGermanyfossilcybertaxonomyopen-accessZooKeysBohart-MuseumWorld-Robber-Fly-DayAstrophanes
Astrophanes is a genus of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) established by Osten Sacken in 1886. The genus contains two described species: Astrophanes adonis and Astrophanes andinus. As members of the subfamily Anthracinae and tribe Villini, these flies are parasitoids in their larval stage. The genus is rarely encountered, with limited observational records.
Bombyliinae
bee flies
Bombyliinae is a large subfamily of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) comprising more than 70 genera and at least 170 described species. Adults are important pollinators, while larvae are parasitoids. The subfamily has a cosmopolitan distribution across all continents except Antarctica, with notable diversity in Australia (17 genera, 87 species) and the Neotropics.
Bryodemina
Bryodemina is a genus of bee flies (Diptera: Bombyliidae) in the subfamily Lomatiinae, established by Hull in 1973. The genus occurs in the Neotropical region and was recently revised with two new species described from Brazil and Venezuela. A taxonomic revision synonymized the genus Brachydemia with Bryodemina. Species in this genus are distinguished by morphological features of the adult external anatomy and terminalia.
Conophorus
bee flies
Conophorus is a genus of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) containing at least 67 described species worldwide, with 16 species recorded from the United States. These dipterans are parasitoids, with larvae developing in the nests of other insects. The genus is taxonomically established under Meigen, 1803, and is classified within the tribe Conophorini.
Desmatoneura
Desmatoneura is a genus of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) established by Williston in 1895. The genus comprises approximately 18 described species classified within the subfamily Anthracinae and tribe Xeramoebini. Species in this genus are part of the diverse bee fly fauna, a group known for parasitoid larval development in other insects.
Dolichomyia
Dolichomyia is a genus of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) comprising seven described species. The genus was established by Wiedemann in 1830 and is classified within the subfamily Toxophorinae and tribe Systropodini. Species occur in the Americas, with records from North and South America. The genus name refers to the elongated body form characteristic of these flies.
Ecliminae
Ecliminae is a subfamily of Bombyliidae (bee flies) containing genera distributed across the New World and Australasian/Oceanian regions. The genus Lepidophora is restricted to the New World with eight species, while Marmasoma is endemic to Australia. At least some species exhibit parasitic life histories, with immature stages developing in hymenopteran hosts.
Epacmus
Epacmus is a genus of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) characterized by a distinctive case of predator mimicry. Adults possess four prominent, black, polished, hemispherical bumps on the rear of the thorax that strikingly resemble the anterior median eyes of jumping spiders (Salticidae). When viewed from behind, these structures create the illusion of a small salticid spider, potentially deterring predation. The genus is small-bodied, measuring approximately 7–10 mm in length, with a tapered, fuzzy appearance and delicate wings. Taxonomic validity remains debated, with some authorities considering Epacmus a synonym of Aphoebantus.
Exoprosopa
Exoprosopa is a large cosmopolitan genus of bee-flies (Bombyliidae) comprising over 325 described species. Members are among the largest bee flies, reaching up to 22 mm body length and 64 mm wingspan. The genus exhibits striking wing patterns and abdominal banding, with many species showing sexual dimorphism. Species are found worldwide, with exceptional diversity in Southern Africa (over 135 species). As parasitoids, they target a broad range of host insects including locusts and wasp larvae.
Geron
Geron is a genus of bee flies in the family Bombyliidae, established by Meigen in 1820. These small to minute flies are characterized by their slender bodies, reduced wing venation, and often distinctive facial markings. Members of this genus are parasitoids, with larvae developing in the egg sacs of spiders. The genus is placed in the subfamily Toxophorinae and tribe Gerontini. Geron species are found across multiple continents including North America and Europe.
Hemipenthes
Hemipenthes is a large genus of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) comprising numerous described species distributed across the Holarctic and Palearctic regions. Adults are small to large robust flies measuring 5–14 mm in body length. The genus is distinguished from similar bee fly genera by characteristic wing venation patterns. A significant taxonomic revision occurred in 2020, when several species were transferred to the new genus Ins.
Lepidanthrax
Lepidanthrax is a genus of bee flies in the family Bombyliidae, containing at least 50 described species. The genus is primarily distributed across North and Central America, with isolated records from the Galapagos Islands and Australia. As members of the subfamily Anthracinae, these flies are part of a diverse group of parasitoid insects. The genus was established by Osten Sacken in 1886.
Lepidophora
bee flies
Lepidophora is a genus of bee flies in the family Bombyliidae, comprising eight described species restricted to the New World. The genus exhibits a distinctive hunch-backed body shape and includes species with notable mimicry patterns. Larvae are kleptoparasites of solitary wasp nests, usurping provisions rather than parasitizing larvae directly. Adults are commonly observed feeding on nectar from flowers.
Ligyra
Ligyra is a genus of bee flies (Diptera: Bombyliidae) in the tribe Exoprosopini, established by Edward Newman in 1841. The genus contains at least 110 described species with cosmopolitan distribution, though recent cladistic analysis has restricted its scope by erecting a new genus for New World species previously assigned to Ligyra. Species in this genus are hyperparasitoids, attacking ground-nesting aculeate Hymenoptera including Sphecidae, Pompilidae, Tiphiidae, and Scoliidae.
Lordotus
Lordotus is a North American genus of bee flies in the family Bombyliidae, containing approximately 30 described species. The genus is classified within the subfamily Lordotinae and tribe Lordotini. Members of this genus are found primarily in western and southwestern United States and adjacent regions of Mexico. One species, Lordotus striatus, has been observed visiting flowers of Pseudoclappia arenaria in alkaline flats of tamarisk/saltbush chaparral in New Mexico.
Mancia
Mancia is a genus of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) in the subfamily Anthracinae, tribe Villini. The genus was established by Daniel William Coquillett in 1886. Very little published information exists on the biology or species diversity of this genus.
Mythenteles
Mythenteles is a genus of minute bee flies in the family Mythicomyiidae. The genus was established by Hall & Evenhuis in 1986 and contains species of very small size, consistent with the 'microbombyliid' designation. A 2011 world revision recognized eight new species and confirmed a disjunct Northern Hemisphere distribution pattern. The genus is taxonomically well-defined but biologically poorly known.
Neacreotrichus
Neacreotrichus is a genus of bee flies (Bombyliidae) comprising approximately 13 described species. The genus was established by Theodore Dru Alison Cockerell in 1917. Species are found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Members are small-bodied bee flies that have been documented in arid and semi-arid environments.
Phthiriinae
Phthiriinae is a subfamily of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) established by Becker in 1913. The subfamily comprises approximately 11 genera and over 120 described species, though estimates vary across sources. Members are distributed across multiple continents including records from Iran, with at least one species (Phthiria fulva) documented as a parasitoid of Lepidoptera. The immature stages remain poorly known, with the pupa of Phthiria fulva representing the first described immature stage for the genus Phthiria.
Poecilanthrax effrenus
Poecilanthrax effrenus is a species of bee fly in the family Bombyliidae, subfamily Anthracinae, tribe Villini. The species was described by Coquillett in 1887. It has been documented in the southwestern United States, particularly in Texas. The genus Poecilanthrax comprises predatory bee flies whose larvae develop as parasitoids or predators of other insects.
Poecilognathini
Poecilognathini is a tribe of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) established by Evenhuis in 1990. Members are classified within the subfamily Phthiriinae. The tribe contains multiple genera of small to medium-sized flies that share distinctive morphological features related to wing venation and body structure. The group is primarily distributed in the New World tropics and subtropics.
Rhynchanthrax
bee flies
Rhynchanthrax is a genus of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) native to North America. The genus was established by Painter in 1933 and contains seven described species. These flies are members of the subfamily Anthracinae and tribe Villini.
Stonyx
Stonyx is a genus of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) established by Osten Sacken in 1886. The genus contains five described species distributed in the New World tropics and subtropics. These species are placed in the subfamily Anthracinae and tribe Villini.
Systoechus
Woolly Bee Flies
Systoechus is a genus of bee flies in the family Bombyliidae, containing more than 120 described species. These flies belong to the tribe Bombyliini and are characterized by their woolly appearance. Adults are primarily active in the fall, distinguishing them from the related genus Bombylius which tends to be active in spring. The genus is distinguished from Bombylius by the location of the r-m vein on the wing.
Systropodini
Systropodini is a tribe of bee flies within the subfamily Toxophorinae of the family Bombyliidae. Members of this tribe are characterized by distinctive morphological features that separate them from other toxophorine groups. The tribe contains multiple genera distributed across various regions. Bee flies in this group are generally parasitoids, with larvae developing in the nests of other insects.
Systropus
bee flies
Systropus is a large genus of bee flies (Bombyliidae) containing over 200 described species distributed across every continent except Antarctica. Species are medium-sized flies characterized by distinctive wing venation and male genitalia morphology. The genus is taxonomically significant within the subfamily Toxophorinae, with ongoing revisions clarifying species boundaries, particularly in Australia where 12 new species were recently described.
Thevenetimyia
Thevenetimyia is a genus of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) containing over 40 described species. The genus has a broad distribution, with the majority of species occurring in North America and additional representatives in Australia and Southeast Asia. Species in this genus are parasitoids, with larvae developing in the nests of other insects. Adults are known to visit flowers for nectar.
Tmemophlebia
Tmemophlebia is a genus of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) established by Evenhuis in 1986. The genus comprises approximately 16-17 described species distributed across North and South America. Members of this genus belong to the subfamily Phthiriinae and tribe Poecilognathini.
Tomomyzinae
Tomomyzinae is a subfamily of bee flies within the family Bombyliidae, established by Becker in 1913. The subfamily contains six recognized genera: Amphicosmus, Docidomyia, Metacosmus, Pantostomus, Paracosmus, and Tomomyza. Species counts vary across sources, with estimates ranging from approximately 13 to more than 50 described species. Members are part of the diverse bee fly radiation, characterized by their parasitoid life history and adult nectar-feeding behavior.
Villa
bee flies
Villa is a genus of bee flies (family Bombyliidae) comprising approximately 270 described species distributed across all continents except Antarctica. Adults range from 5 to 17 mm in length and are characterized by rounded heads and distinctive wing venation patterns that distinguish them from related genera such as Hemipenthes. Males of some species possess conspicuous silvery patagial scales. The genus belongs to the tribe Villini within the subfamily Anthracinae.