Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria Laphria thoracica Fabricius, 1805    
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Diptera   >   Family Asilidae   >   Genus Laphria   

Status:

Laphria thoracica is one of the most common species of Laphria in this region. L. thoracica is quite widespread in deciduous forests, and can often be located haunting sunlit vegetation and edge habitats from mid-May to August. Territorial males wait for females on low plants near large rotting hardwood logs on the forest floor. The abdomen color varies from completely black to fully-banded with yellow on the base of the abdomen, with many intermediates between the two extremes. The different forms are likely mimetic of different species of Bombus, and the prevalence of a given form seems to vary regionally. This is one of the best bee mimics in the genus.

There are 79 records in the project database.

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An Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/18/2017). Determined by Ben Coulter/BugGuide. Photo by Steve Scholnick. (MBP list)

An Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Frederick Co., Maryland (6/13/2018). Photo by Robert Warren. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/26/2015). Verified by Ben Coulter/BugGuide. Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

Mating Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Frederick Co., Maryland (6/14/2014). Determined by Herschel Raney/BugGuide. Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)

An Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/21/2015). Photo by Steve Scholnick. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Prince George's Co., Maryland (5/20/2023). (c) Benjamin Burgunder, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Benjamin Burgunder via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/19/2023). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

An Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Carroll Co., Maryland (7/23/2013). Collected by Tim McMahon and photographed by Wayne Boo. Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Washington Co., Maryland (7/5/2021). Photo by Jim Moore. (MBP list)

An Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Carroll Co., Maryland (7/23/2013). Collected by Tim McMahon and photographed by Wayne Boo. Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)

A female Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/14/2008). Verified by Herschel Raney/BugGuide. Photo by Stephen Schueman. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Carroll Co., Maryland (6/13/2020). (c) Nathaniel Schwartz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND). Photo by Nathaniel Schwartz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Montgomery Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) romainclem, all rights reserved. Photo by romainclem via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Washington Co., Maryland (6/1/2019). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A female Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/14/2008). Verified by Herschel Raney/BugGuide. Photo by Stephen Schueman. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Charles Co., Maryland (5/31/2015). Photo by Steve Collins. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/6/2020). (c) Jane Hartman, all rights reserved. Photo by Jane Hartman. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria with prey in Baltimore City, Maryland (5/13/2009). Determined by Herschel Raney/BugGuide. Photo by Thomas Wilson. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria with prey in Baltimore City, Maryland (5/29/2015). Verified by Ben Coulter/BugGuide. Photo by Thomas Wilson. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/6/2020). (c) Jane Hartman, all rights reserved. Photo by Jane Hartman. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/11/2023). (c) Zachary Dankowicz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Zachary Dankowicz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Prince George's Co., Maryland (6/28/2020). (c) spyingnaturalist, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by spyingnaturalist via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Prince George's Co., Maryland (6/28/2020). (c) spyingnaturalist, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by spyingnaturalist via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Frederick Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Robert Warren, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND). Photo by Robert Warren. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Montgomery Co., Maryland (5/17/2021). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Montgomery Co., Maryland (5/17/2021). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Montgomery Co., Maryland (5/17/2021). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Washington Co., Maryland (5/27/2021). (c) Emilio Concari, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Emilio Concari. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Kent Co., Maryland (6/6/2021). (c) pcowartrickmanphoto, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Pamela Cowart-Rickman. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Kent Co., Maryland (6/6/2021). (c) pcowartrickmanphoto, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Pamela Cowart-Rickman. (MBP list)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria in Kent Co., Maryland (6/6/2021). (c) pcowartrickmanphoto, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Pamela Cowart-Rickman. (MBP list)


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