Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly Mallota posticata (Fabricius, 1805)    
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Diptera   >   Family Syrphidae   >   Genus Mallota   

Status:

Infrequently reported in Maryland. Adults have been noted visiting flowers of Crataegus, Physocarpus, and Rubus, but can also be observed resting on leaves in forest understory. Larvae are filter feeders in water-filled tree holes (Skevington, 2019).

Description:

One of several flower fly (family Syrphidae) bumble bee mimics. (Note that several robber fly species also mimic bumble bees.) Abdomen variable but usually extensively yellow pilose, covering tergites 1, 2 (partly) and sometimes 3 (BugGuide). Identifiable with care from photos.

There are 29 records in the project database.

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A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Harford Co., Maryland (6/20/2016). Determined by Ken Wolgemuth/BugGuide. Photo by Shannon Schade. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Worcester Co., Maryland (5/16/2020). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Worcester Co., Maryland (5/16/2020). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Baltimore City, Maryland (6/29/2009). Determined by Martin Hauser/BugGuide. Photo by Thomas Wilson. (MBP list)

A male Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Baltimore City, Maryland (5/31/2007). Determined by Martin Hauser/BugGuide. Photo by Thomas Wilson. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Howard Co., Maryland (5/26/2023). (c) bugologist2, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by bugologist2 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (5/9/2022). (c) smiley beaver, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by smiley_beaver via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A male Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Baltimore Co., Maryland (5/6/2019). Determined by Bill Dean and Ken Wolgemuth via BugGuide. Photo by Pauline Horn. (MBP list)

A male Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (5/25/2020). Verified by Bill Dean and Ken Wolgemuth via BugGuide. Photo by Jim Moore. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Howard Co., Maryland (6/7/2020). (c) Bonnie Ott, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Bonnie Ott via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Howard Co., Maryland (5/26/2023). (c) bugologist2, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by bugologist2 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Howard Co., Maryland (5/26/2023). (c) bugologist2, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by bugologist2 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/19/2020). Verified by Bill Dean and Ken Wolgemuth via BugGuide. Photo by Jim Moore. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Garrett Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Kyle Klotz, all rights reserved. Photo by Kyle Klotz. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Howard Co., Maryland (5/26/2023). (c) bugologist2, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by bugologist2 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Charles Co., Maryland (7/7/2022). (c) Birder20714, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Howard Co., Maryland (5/26/2023). (c) bugologist2, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by bugologist2 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/4/2021). (c) crystal-butler, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by crystal-butler via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/15/2021). (c) Matthew Beziat, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Matthew Beziat. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Charles Co., Maryland (7/7/2022). (c) Birder20714, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Howard Co., Maryland (5/20/2021). (c) Jim, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jim via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Prince George's Co., Maryland (5/6/2023). (c) smuller, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Sue Muller. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/5/2021). (c) Riccardo Marchingiglio, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Riccardo Marchingiglio via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Hairy-eyed Mimic Fly in Howard Co., Maryland (5/6/2021). (c) Jim, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jim via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


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