Xenox tigrinus

The tiger bee fly, Xenox tigrinus, is an insect of the family Bombyliidae (bee flies) found in the eastern United States and southern Ontario.[1] It formerly went by the name Anthrax tigrinus.[2] 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.

Xenox tigrinus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Bombyliidae
Genus: Xenox
Species:
X. tigrinus
Binomial name
Xenox tigrinus
(De Geer, 1776)
Synonyms
  • Nemotelus tigrinus De Geer, 1776
  • Anthrax tigrinus (De Geer, 1776)
  • Anthrax scripta Say, 1823

Identification

Adults range from 11–19 millimetres (0.43–0.75 in) in length, excluding wings and other appendages including antennae and legs.[3] 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 due to its coloration and size. Their bee mimicry (an example of Batesian mimicry) helps them avoid potential predators.[4]

Life cycle
Xenox tigrinus mating

Female tiger bee flies deposit fertilized eggs in carpenter bee nests. Rather than entering the nest itself, female tiger flies lay eggs near the nest entrance.[2] When the larvae hatch, they consume the carpenter bee larvae.[3] The fly larvae may also wait for the bees to enter the vulnerable pupal state before eating them.[5] The tiger bee fly is the most common parasite of the eastern carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica.[6] It is also considered a pollinator.[7]

Xylocopa virginica, the carpenter bee parasitized by the tiger bee fly

Interactions with humans

The tiger bee fly is commonly found near wooden fences and structures where carpenter bees make their nests.[4] They do not bite or sting humans.[8]

References
  1. Ávalos-Hernández, Omar; Kits, Joel; Trujano-Ortega, Marysol; García-Vázquez, Uri; Cano-Santana, Zenon (2014-03-07). "New records of bee flies (Diptera, Bombyliidae) from Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila, Mexico". ZooKeys (422): 49–85. doi:10.3897/zookeys.422.7598. ISSN 1313-2970. PMC 4109446. PMID 25061389.
  2. Prager, Sean M. (2014-12-01). "Comparison of social and solitary nesting carpenter bees in sympatry reveals no advantage to social nesting". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 113 (4): 998–1010. doi:10.1111/bij.12395. ISSN 0024-4066.
  3. "Tiger Bee Fly". www.insectidentification.org. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  4. "Tiger Bee Fly". MDC Discover Nature. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  5. Feinstein, Julie. "The Carpenter Bee and the Tiger Bee Fly". Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  6. Prager, Sean M.; Hunter, Fiona F. (2011-03-12). "Relationships between nest architecture and behavior in Xylocopa virginica (Hymenoptera: Apidae)". Journal of Insect Behavior. 24 (4): 293–306. doi:10.1007/s10905-011-9256-x. ISSN 0892-7553. S2CID 24787524.
  7. Cusser, Sarah (2016). "Understanding land-use drivers of pollinator community composition in an agricultural lanscape [sic]". 2016 International Congress of Entomology. Entomological Society of America. doi:10.1603/ice.2016.94635.
  8. "Field Guide: Bee Flies". Missouri Department of Conservation. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
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