Photo 4737538, (c) Zachary Chapman, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Zachary Chapman

Attribution © Zachary Chapman
some rights reserved
Uploaded by galactic_bug_man galactic_bug_man
Source iNaturalist
Associated observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Scaly Bee Fly (Lepidophora lepidocera)

Observer

galactic_bug_man

Date

September 1, 2016 01:09 PM CDT

Description

This thing looked a lot like a mosquito but larger. It was the strangest bug I have ever seen. It is a pollen feeder and flies in hopping motion when looking for a specific flower. It is a very erratic and choppy motion. The insect was pretty large and looked almost like a bee at first but as I studied it closer I could tell it was odd more to note odder then a bee. This thing I think was using mimicry to deceive potential predators. A true fact scary looks and warning colors are used by more prey then predators in the bug world. This thing struck me as just strange. I don't think I recall seeing one of these things in my life. This was the oddest spotting of the day for m by far.

Sizes