Syrphid Fly – Mallota Species
Many syrphid flies mimic bumble or honey bees or wasps in their quest to avoid predators averse to attacking insects with stingers.
Syrphids, of course, have no stingers – yet they reap the benefits of having a venom-delivery system without paying the metabolic costs of actually constructing one.
This fly is a brilliant example of bumble bee mimicry. For comparison, take a look at the brown-belted bumble bee pictured below.
brown-belted bumble bee
Oh – syrphids provide pollination services just like the bees and wasps they emulate.
Female Robber Fly, Laphria grossa is another bumble bee mimic in the family Asilidae, the robber flies.
North American Insects & Spiders
Online since 2002
