The tiger bee fly, ''Xenox tigrinus'', is an insect of 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 ...

(bee flies) found in the eastern

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

and southern

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

. It formerly went by the name ''Anthrax tigrinus''. The distinctive wing pattern may resemble tiger stripes, giving the tiger bee fly its name. Like other members of the bee fly family, the tiger bee fly parasitizes the larvae of other insects.

Identification

Adults range from in length, excluding wings and other appendages including antennae and legs. Their black body has two white spots on the abdomen and their transparent wings have a distinctive black pattern. The tiger bee fly may be mistaken for a large

bee Bees are winged insects closely related to wasps and ants, known for their roles in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, the western honey bee, for producing honey. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfami ...

due to its coloration and size. Their bee mimicry (an example of

Batesian mimicry Batesian mimicry is a form of mimicry where a harmless species has evolved to imitate the warning signals of a harmful species directed at a predator of them both. It is named after the English naturalist Henry Walter Bates, after his work on ...

) helps them avoid potential predators.

Life cycle

Female tiger bee flies deposit fertilized eggs in

carpenter bee Carpenter bees are species in the genus ''Xylocopa'' of the subfamily Xylocopinae. The genus includes some 500 bees in 31 subgenera. The common name "carpenter bee" derives from their nesting behavior; nearly all species burrow into hard plant m ...

nests. Rather than entering the nest itself, female tiger flies lay eggs near the nest entrance. When the larvae hatch, they consume the carpenter bee larvae. The fly larvae may also wait for the bees to enter the vulnerable pupal state before eating them. The tiger bee fly is the most common parasite of the eastern carpenter bee, ''Xylocopa virginica''. It is also considered a pollinator.

Interactions with humans

The tiger bee fly is commonly found near wooden fences and structures where carpenter bees make their nests. They do not bite or sting humans.

References

Bombyliidae Diptera of North America Insects of the United States Insects described in 1984 {{Bombyliidae-stub