Hyperechia xylocopiformis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Hyperechia xylocopiformis | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Asilidae |
| Genus: | Hyperechia |
| Species: | H. xylocopiformis |
| Binomial name | |
| Hyperechia xylocopiformis | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Hyperechia xylocopiformis is a species of robber fly found in India and Sri Lanka. Like other species of Hyperechia they mimic the Xylocopa species of carpenter bees.[2][3] The type specimen was collected by Walter Elliot from Madras and described by Francis Walker. The larvae live in the nests of carpenter bees and feed on their larvae while adults prey on wasps and bees including carpenter bees.
The fly has a bronze-black body with a purple glossy shine with black hair. The head will be black and crown of the head would have white hair in the front and long black hair around it. The sides of the thorax shows long black hairs and a tuft of bright yellow hair in front of the wings. It has strong hairy legs with black and bluish-purple wings.[4]
