Bee FliesBee Flies Index Bee Fly (Anthrax) Australiphthiria Cryomyia sp Ligyra Neosardus cosmus

Ligyra is a genus of bee flies in the family Bombyliidae. It was described by Edward Newman in 1841, there being currently at least 110 described species in the genus.

The adults bee flies usually feed on nectar and pollen and are important pollinators. The larvae are mostly parasitoids of other insects.

The Bee Fly pictured here, at the Alice Springs Desert Park in Central Australia (Northern Territory), is the species Ligyra cingulata.

Ligyra cingulata - Bee Fly, Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Ligyra cingulata – Bee Fly, Alice Springs Desert Park NT

The Bee Fly (Ligyra cingulata) pictured here is feeding on the the Poached Egg Daisy (Polycalymma stuartii).

Ligyra cingulata - Bee Fly, Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Ligyra cingulata – Bee Fly, Alice Springs Desert Park NT

Atlas of Living Australia (at time of writing) say that there are 110 described species.

Ligyra cingulata - Bee Fly, Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Ligyra cingulata on Polycalymma stuartii, Alice Springs Desert Park NT

This page is a work in progress. We welcome contributions. You can contact us through our website, or from our Ausemade Facebook page.


  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Diptera
  • Suborder: Brachycera
  • Informal: Orthorrhapha
  • Superfamily: Asiloidea
  • Family: Bombyliidae
  • Subfamily: Anthracinae
  • Genus: Ligyra
  • Species:
    • Ligyra bombyliformis (Macleay, 1826) 
    • Ligyra burnsi Paramonov, 1967 
    • Ligyra calabyana Paramonov, 1967 
    • Ligyra campbelli Paramonov, 1967 
    • Ligyra chinnicki Paramonov, 1967 
    • Ligyra cingulata (Wulp, 1885) 
    • Ligyra commoni Paramonov, 1967 
    • Ligyra dentata (Roberts, 1928) 
    • Ligyra doryca (Boisduval, 1835) 
    • Ligyra eyreana Paramonov, 1967 
    • Ligyra fasciata Paramonov, 1967 
    • Ligyra fuscipennis (Macquart, 1848) 
    • Ligyra hemifusca (Roberts, 1928) 
    • Ligyra inquinita (Roberts, 1928) 
    • Ligyra orest Paramonov, 1967 
    • Ligyra pilad Paramonov, 1967 
    • Ligyra punctipennis (Macquart, 1850) 
    • Ligyra robertsi Paramonov, 1967 
    • Ligyra satyrus Fabricius, 1775 
    • Ligyra septentrionis (Roberts, 1928) 
    • Ligyra sinuatifascia (Macquart, 1855) 
    • Ligyra tenebrosa Paramonov, 1967 

Footnote & References

  1. Genus Ligyra, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/246066-Ligyra
  2. Ligyra cingulata, ausemade, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/190056990
  3. Ligyra Newman, 1841, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Ligyra
  4. Ligyra cingulata (Wulp, 1885), Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Ligyra cingulata

Bee FliesBee Flies Index Bee Fly (Anthrax) Australiphthiria Cryomyia sp Ligyra Neosardus cosmus

DipteraDiptera Index Flies Pollinators and Flies The Eyes of Flies Australian Sheep Blowfly (Lucilia cuprina) Australian Drain Fly Balaana Beefly Bat Flies Bee Flies Bee Flies Index Bee Fly (Anthrax) Australiphthiria Cryomyia sp Ligyra Neosardus cosmus Chrysomya saffranea Clogmia (Moth Fly) Eristalinus punctulatus Miltinus stenogaster Musca Odontomyia (Soldier Flies) Odontomyia Index Hermetia illucens (Black Soldier Fly) Robber Flies Sarcophaga aurifrons Soldier Fly Syrphidae Syrphids Common Halfband (Melangyna viridiceps) Yellow-shouldered Stout Hover Fly (Simosyrphus grandicornis) Therevidae

InsectsBees Beetles Blattodea Butterflies Coleoptera Cicada Crabronidae Diptera Dragonflies & Damselflies Formicidae Hemiptera Heteroptera Moths Orthoptera Orthopteroid Processionary Caterpillar Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies Wasps Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis) Witchetty Grub