''Thecophora atra'' is a species of small fly in the family Conopidae subfamily Myopinae. This species is mainly present in Belgium, British Isles, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain and

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

. Thorax and abdomen of this very small conopid is mainly greyish-black. The head is quite large, the snout is elongated with narrow white cheeks, the large eyes are reddish, the second segment of antennae is much longer than the third and femur 1 and 2 are brown or black, while femur 3 is yellowish on its basal half. The adults of this fly grow up to long and can be encountered from May through October feeding on nectar of Asteraceae species, mainly of ''Crepis biennis'' and ''Leucanthemum'' species. Their larvae are

endoparasites Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson has ...

of small solitary bees, probably of the genus ''Halictus'' and ''Lasioglossum'' ( Halictidae species).

References

* Smith, K. G. V. (1969) - Diptera: Conopidae - andbooks for the Identification of British Insects* Mark van Veen
Thecophora Keys

External links

Biolib

Fauna Europaea
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7777659 Conopidae Insects described in 1775 Endoparasites Taxa named by Johan Christian Fabricius