Trichopsidea oestracea

Tangle-vein fly at Jerrabomberra, ACT

Trichopsidea oestracea at Jerrabomberra, ACT - 22 Nov 2017
Trichopsidea oestracea at Jerrabomberra, ACT - 22 Nov 2017
Trichopsidea oestracea at Jerrabomberra, ACT - 22 Nov 2017
Trichopsidea oestracea at Jerrabomberra, ACT - 22 Nov 2017
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Identification history

Trichopsidea oestracea 21 Dec 2017 KimPullen
Exeretonevra sp. (genus) 18 Dec 2017 KimPullen
Bombyliidae (family) 18 Dec 2017 michael.batley
Unidentified 18 Dec 2017 roymcd

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User's notes

When I first found it this bee was covered in meat ants and getting eaten alive. Unfortunately I damaged its wing while removing them.

3 comments

KimPullen wrote:
   21 Dec 2017
Identification by David Ferguson.
roymcd wrote:
   23 Dec 2017
Thanks Michael, Kim and David Ferguson. Any tips for me on separating flies from bees? I just saw the protrusion from the abdomen and thought it was a bee's stinger. Cheers, Roy.
KimPullen wrote:
   23 Dec 2017
Roy - In this case, the protrusion from the abdomen is an ovipositor (egg-laying apparatus). The main feature distinguishing flies from nearly all other insects is that they have only one pair of flying wings, with the hind pair reduced to tiny knobs called halteres. Bees have two pairs of wings, although during flight they are normally locked together on each side by a series of tiny hooks along the front edge of the hind wing.

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Sighting information

  • 1 Abundance
  • 22 Nov 2017 10:33 AM Recorded on
  • roymcd Recorded by

Species information

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