Images of seldom-seen insect submitted to BeeSpotter!

Images of seldom-seen insect submitted to BeeSpotter!

Date posted: 8/3/2009

Adult Bot Fly photo from the side Adult Bot Fly photo from above

On July 3rd, 2009, a BeeSpotter named Mike Shay in Bolingbrook, Illinois submitted a couple of images of an adult bot fly, Cuterebra abdominalis (Order Diptera, Family Oestridae), the larva of which, in Illinois, is an internal parasite of the eastern cottontail rabbit. As can be seen from these vivid photos, the coloration of this very large fly renders it a convincing mimic of a bumble bee.

The adult of C. abdominalis does not feed, and as might be imagined, its time on the wing is very short. This undoubtedly is one reason why this fly, despite its being so large and colorful, is very seldom seen. This Spotting shows what can happen if we get enough pairs of eyes out there looking...

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