Australiphthiria hilaris

1 Slender Bee Fly at Bolaro, NSW

Australiphthiria hilaris at Bolaro, NSW - 2 Dec 2013
Australiphthiria hilaris at Bolaro, NSW - 2 Dec 2013
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Identification history

Australiphthiria hilaris 29 Aug 2017 DaveFerg
Australiphthiria hilaris 29 Aug 2017 michaelb
Australiphthiria hilaris Bee fly 26 Aug 2017 RogerF
Unidentified 26 Aug 2017 DavidMcKay

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User's notes

I think this is one of the native parasitic bees because of the pointed body and barred marking, possibly family Megachilidae Genus Coelioxys ?

5 comments

   26 Aug 2017
The wing venation is like that of Rhagionidae.
DavidMcKay wrote:
   30 Aug 2017
Well I was way off but thanks for the identification. Having a name always adds to an interesting observation
RogerF wrote:
   30 Aug 2017
David, A simple pathway to Id your fly: One pair of wings = A fly (Diptera). Blunt antennae = a higher fly. Pointed proboscis with no obvious labellum at tip and feeding on nectar at a flower = bee fly (Bombylidae). See page 178 my book. Hope this helps.
DavidMcKay wrote:
   31 Aug 2017
Roger, Thanks, so much to learn but I have widened my interests and had a lot of fun since using and making a few contributions to the CBN.
DaveFerg wrote:
   31 Aug 2017
Hi Michael and David, David great photographs! My thoughts immediately too where that this is a Rhagionidae from that characteristic wing venation and it’s bode shape. I compared specimens of Australiphthiria with Rhagionidae and finding several differences. The wing vein R2+3 connects with R1 at different places, the antennae of Rhagionid’s in profile are somewhat similar to the antenna of many horse flies, curiously both hunt blood while Australiphthiri has an elongated basal flagellomere and very small sensing flagellomere in a pit at its apex. As Roger noted the mouth parts are designed for very different diets. Hope this information is useful to you.

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Location information

Sighting information

  • 1 - 3 Abundance
  • 2 Dec 2013 10:30 AM Recorded on
  • DavidMcKay Recorded by

Additional information

  • Ranunculus lappaceus Associated plant
  • 5mm to 12mm Animal size

Species information

Record quality

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  • Confirmed by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
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  • Additional attributes
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