''Anthrax anthrax'' is a species of fly in the family

Bombyliidae The Bombyliidae are a family of flies, commonly known as bee flies. Adults generally feed on nectar and pollen, some being important pollinators. Larvae are mostly parasitoids of other insects. Overview The Bombyliidae are a large family of fl ...

. Unlike, for example, '' Bombylius major'', this species does not mimic a bee. The eggs are flicked by the adult female toward the entrance of the nests of mason bees. After hatching, the larvae find their way into the nests to feed on the bee larva. ''A.'' can be found in May to August throughout mainland

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

. In the Netherlands ''A. anthrax'' is a common visitor of

insect hotel An insect hotel, also known as a bug hotel or insect house, is a manmade structure created to provide shelter for insects. They can come in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on the specific purpose or specific insect it is catered to. Mo ...

s. It was first recorded as breeding in Britain in 2019.

Description

''A. anthrax'' is a fairly large fly, the body length is 10 mm. The body is black with four white markings at tergum 2 and 3 and two white markings at the end of the abdomen. Tergum 1 is black with tufts of white hairs at the side. These tufts are visible in this picture of a hovering fly. The wings are mostly black, only the top is transparent. The veins are dark brown. The following picture was overexposed. Due to the brightly lit background the veins are visible. The newly emerged ''Anthrax anthrax'' may be found sitting on a

bee hotel Bee hotels are a type of insect hotel for solitary pollinator bees. Bee hotels provide a space for shelter and rest for bees that are not part of a hive. A Canadian study of 200 bee hotels in Toronto indicated that 75% of hotels were dominated by ...

. Their body is dull black with more transparent wings. Sint-Michielsgestel Tuin Anthrax anthrax 180606C Part.JPG, A recently emerged ''A. anthrax'' St Michielsgestel Tuin Anthrax anthrax 040712 1056 Part.JPG, ''A. anthrax'' hovering, note the white tufts of hair at the sides of tergum 1 St Michielsgestel Tuin Anthrax Anthrax 120511 1156 Part.JPG, The veins are visible due to the bright background

Behaviour

The females may be found hovering before an insect hotel shooting eggs into the nest entrances of mason bees. Occasionally females rub their abdomen with dust or sand. Dust or sand is necessary to make the eggs less tacky. To this end the females have a 'sand chamber'. ''A. anthrax'' is sometimes seen hovering above a flower.

Distribution

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

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Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...

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Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

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Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

, Georgia,

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...

. File:Anthrax oscil anim.gif, ''A. anthrax'' hovering near a nest entrance of a mason bee File:Anthrax Animation1.gif, ''A. anthrax'' hovering above a flower

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q574344 Bombyliidae Insects described in 1781 Taxa named by Franz von Paula Schrank Diptera of Europe Diptera of Asia