Laphria are often bee mimics, but they aren’t the only ones (e.g. Mallophora). Laphria are thought to specialize on beetles because their vertically flattened mouthparts can fit between a beetle’s elytra. The larvae are predators of insects living in rotten wood. Most species have a short flight season in Florida, and all except for Laphria affinis are spring fliers in Florida.
Be sure to check out Laphriini by Stephen Bullington, a website devoted to Laphria of the U.S. His eastern key.
Visual Index
Laphria saffrana
This is an excellent mimic of a southern yellowjacket (Vespula squamosa) queen and is found in pinewoods. I still love Herschel’s name, Deathshead Bumblethief, because the top of the thorax looks like a cartoon skull. The thorax has yellow hairs, but the abdomen is orange. Orange legs.
Size: 16-25 mm
Range: Southeastern US north to VA and west to TX
Habitat: Most common in pinewoods though it has also been found in mesic forest.
FL Range: Throughout, though more common in central Florida and north
FL Season: late February-May
Laphria affinis
Yellow hairs on thorax and legs. Black hairs on abdomen. This is our only autumn-flying species.
Size: 15-24 mm
Range: Eastern U.S.
Habitat: Pinewoods
FL range: Panhandle (Jefferson County) and Central Florida (Marion County)
Season: September-early December
FL season: October
Laphria apila
Male is lacking yellow hairs in the center of the thoracic disk (a bald spot). Abdomen has yellow hairs on sides but not the center (a bald stripe).
Size: 28-35 mm
Range: Southeastern U.S.
Habitat: Wet to mesic woods. One record in scrub.
FL range: Panhandle (Escambia, Okaloosa, Franklin, Liberty Counties) and Central Florida (Seminole, Orange). In 2023, it was first observed in Martin County.
FL season: late March-June
Laphria cinerea
There are tufts of pale yellow hairs on the head, legs, and in front of the wings, but the top of the thorax (scutum) is sparsely haired and only the tip of the abdomen has yellow hairs.
Similar species: The only other Florida species that has yellow hairs on the last two abdominal segments is Laphria divisor, but that species has darker yellow hairs overall, denser on the scutum, and shorter hairs on the legs. The hairs on the rear tibiae of L. divisor are black, whereas they are yellow in L. cinerea. The hairs on the scutellum are black in L. cinerea and yellow in divisor.
Found in pine forests and are nearly always found perching on pine trunks or pine logs.
Size: 10-16 mm
Range: Eastern U.S. and Canada
Habitat: Cut over pinewoods
FL range: North Florida (Columbia, Duval, and Alachua Counties) and Panhandle (Washington County)
FL season: March through May. An Alachua County specimen marked as January seems very early.
Laphria divisor
Similar in size to L. flavicollis, but has yellow hairs near tip of abdomen.
Size: 11-18 mm
Range: Eastern U.S. and Canada
Habitat: Mesic forest
FL range: North, and Central Florida (Alachua, Levy, and Hillsborough Counties)
FL season: February-May
Laphria flavicollis
Small with yellow hairs on the thorax and a black abdomen. Unlike L. virginica, L. flavicollis has a tuft of yellow hairs on the side of the first abdominal segment and long yellow bristles on the scuttelum (rear of thorax).
Size: 11-20 mm
Range: Eastern U.S. and Canada
FL range: Panhandle and North Florida (Wakulla, Leon, Jefferson, Union, Alachua Counties)
FL season: April-May
Laphria virginica
Small with yellow hairs on the thorax and a black abdomen. No tuft of yellow hairs on the side of the first abdominal segment and black hairs on scuttelum (rear of thorax). Occurs in pinewoods.
Size: 13-20 mm
Range: Eastern U.S.
Habitat: Pinewoods
FL range: Panhandle and Peninsula south to Lee County
FL season: March-May
Laphria “floridensis” / macquarti
“[Laphria floridensis] is very similar to Laphria maquartii, but differs in having an predominantly yellow mystax, more yellow on the prothoracic tibiae, and yellow instead of black hairs on the dorsal side of the hind or mesothoracic femora, that is, on the first long “joint” of the hind legs. It also usually has only the first three rather than the first four abdominal tergites yellow.” Bullington
Size: 22-27 mm
macquarti Range: Texas to Georgia
“floridensis” Range: NC to FL and west to LA
Habitat: Mesic forest
FL range: Panhandle, North, and Central Florida
FL season: February-June
Laphria grossa
Tufts of hair in front of wings mostly or entirely black. Abdominal segment 1 entirely black haired. Abdominal segment 3 with yellow hairs medially; these hairs may be partially rubbed off in some older males.
Differs from L. lata because tufts of hair in front of halteres entirely dull yellow
Size: 23-35 mm
Range: Eastern U.S. and Canada
FL range: Panhandle and North Florida (Liberty and Putnam County)
FL season: March-April
Check out this incredible photo by John Abbott of L. grossa in flight
Laphria lata
Tufts of hair in front of wings mostly or entirely black. Abdominal segment 1 entirely black haired. Abdominal segment 3 with yellow hairs medially; these hairs may be partially rubbed off in some older males.
Differs from L. grossa because tufts of hair in front of halteres with some black
Like Laphria apila, there is a yellow form and an orange form.
Size: 27-39 mm
Range: Central and southeastern U.S. Supposedly it has been recorded in Florida, but I can’t track down any records.
Season: April-August
Laphria thoracica
Yellow hairs in front of wings and on scutum (top of thorax). Black mystax, abdomen black, legs with black hairs
Size: 15-20 mm
Range: Eastern U.S. and Canada. May occur in Northern Florida.
Season: April-August throughout range
Laphria canis complex
This is a small, dark species complex that could be confused with robbers in other genera such as Pogonosoma dorsatum or Orthogonis stygia. Within the complex, they are only distinguishable by examination of the genitalia, so many photos cannot be identified.
”Laphria canis has a very wide genitalic bulb, wider than the distal abdominal tergites. L. sicula and winnemana have a much narrower one compared to the distal abdominal segments.’ (Bugguide)
See genitalic differences below.
Laphria canis
Very wide male genitalic bulb, wider than the distal abdominal tergites
Size: 7-12 mm
Range: Eastern U.S. and Canada
FL range: Panhandle (Liberty County, reported in Bullington (1986)) and possibly North Florida (Alachua County)
FL season: May
Laphria sicula
Male genitalic bulb much narrower than L. canis.
Size: 7-14 mm
Range: Eastern U.S. and Canada
FL range: Panhandle and North Florida (Jackson, Liberty, Levy, Alachua Counties)
FL season: May-June
Photo by Steve Daniel from San Felasco in Alachua County.
Laphria index
Orange hairs on abdomen, but thorax mostly shining black with narrow golden median hairs. See genitalic differences below.
This is nearly identical to L. ithypyga, but the male genital bulb is smaller in L. ithypyga. L. ithypyga has not been recorded in Florida, but it is known from northern Georgia.
Size: 12-18 mm
Range: Eastern and Northwestern U.S. and Canada
FL Range: One record from the panhandle (Leon County) and one specimen at FSCA from Alachua County listed as L. scorpio.
Season: June
Laphria sericea
Orange hairs on thorax and abdomen. See genitalic differences below.
McAtee (1918) lists a record for Florida housed at the U.S. National Museum. Nearly identical to L. aktis and an undescribed species. Bullington (1986) only shows L. sericea and aktis as far south as northern Georgia, however.
Size: 16-25 mm
Range: Eastern U.S. and Canada
Season: late March-August
References
Baker, N. T. (1970). A taxonomic and ecologic study of the asilidae of Michigan (Doctoral dissertation, Michigan State University. Department of Entomology).
Bullington, S.W. (1986). Two new genera related to Laphria Meigen (Diptera: Asilidae), with revisions of the included species in North America north of Mexico. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, 275 pp.
McAtee, W. L. (1918). Key to the Nearctic species of the genus Laphria (Diptera, Asilidae).
Robber Flies of Florida 