Hemipenthes morio
Encyclopedia
Hemipenthes morio is a species of 'bee flies' belonging to the family Bombyliidae
subfamily Anthracinae.
This common 'bee-fly' is mainly present in most of Europe
, in eastern Palearctic ecozone, in the Near East
and in Nearctic ecozone.
The adults grow up to 7–10 mm (0.275590551181102–0.393700787401575 ) long, while the wingspan reaches 5–15 mm (0.196850393700787–0.590551181102362 ). They can mostly be encountered from May through August feeding on nectar and pollen of a variety of flowers (for instance of Lavandula stoechas, Cytisus scoparius, Thapsia villosa, etc.).
Their body is dark-brown and hairy, especially on the side of the abdomen. The wings have a light area located near the apex and a dark area close to costal margin, separated by a zig-zag division. The apex of cell R1 is hyaline. The dark area of the wings almost reaches the end of the abdomen.
The larvae are hyperparasite
s (parasites of parasites), mainly developing in larvae of flies (Diptera
, Tachinidae
), as well as in wasp larvae (Hymenoptera
, Ichneumonidae
) parasitizing caterpillars moths (Noctuidae
).
Bombyliidae
Bombyliidae is a large family of flies with hundreds of genera, although their life cycles are not well known. Adults generally feed on nectar and pollen, thus are pollinators of flowers. They superficially resemble bees, thus are commonly called bee flies, and this may offer the adults some...
subfamily Anthracinae.
This common 'bee-fly' is mainly present in most of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, in eastern Palearctic ecozone, in the Near East
Near East
The Near East is a geographical term that covers different countries for geographers, archeologists, and historians, on the one hand, and for political scientists, economists, and journalists, on the other...
and in Nearctic ecozone.
The adults grow up to 7–10 mm (0.275590551181102–0.393700787401575 ) long, while the wingspan reaches 5–15 mm (0.196850393700787–0.590551181102362 ). They can mostly be encountered from May through August feeding on nectar and pollen of a variety of flowers (for instance of Lavandula stoechas, Cytisus scoparius, Thapsia villosa, etc.).
Their body is dark-brown and hairy, especially on the side of the abdomen. The wings have a light area located near the apex and a dark area close to costal margin, separated by a zig-zag division. The apex of cell R1 is hyaline. The dark area of the wings almost reaches the end of the abdomen.
The larvae are hyperparasite
Hyperparasite
A hyperparasite is a parasite whose host is a parasite. This form of parasitism is especially common among entomophagous parasites....
s (parasites of parasites), mainly developing in larvae of flies (Diptera
Diptera
Diptera , or true flies, is the order of insects possessing only a single pair of wings on the mesothorax; the metathorax bears a pair of drumstick like structures called the halteres, the remnants of the hind wings. It is a large order, containing an estimated 240,000 species, although under half...
, Tachinidae
Tachinidae
Tachinidae is a large and rather variable family of true flies within the insect order Diptera, with more than 8,200 known species and many more to be discovered. There are over 1300 species in North America. Insects in this family are commonly called tachina flies or simply tachinids...
), as well as in wasp larvae (Hymenoptera
Hymenoptera
Hymenoptera is one of the largest orders of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees and ants. There are over 130,000 recognized species, with many more remaining to be described. The name refers to the heavy wings of the insects, and is derived from the Ancient Greek ὑμήν : membrane and...
, Ichneumonidae
Ichneumonidae
Ichneumonidae is a family within the insect order Hymenoptera. Insects in this family are commonly called ichneumon wasps. Less exact terms are ichneumon flies , or scorpion wasps due to the extreme lengthening and curving of the abdomen...
) parasitizing caterpillars moths (Noctuidae
Noctuidae
The Noctuidae or owlet moths are a family of robustly-built moths that includes more than 35,000 known species out of possibly 100,000 total, in more than 4,200 genera. They constitute the largest family in the Lepidoptera....
).