The genus Balaana, from the family Bombyliidae, are a group of flies known commonly as “Bee flies”, and in this instance the Balaana Beefly. At time of writing, there are seven described species in this genus Balaana. They have a body length of between 10-18 mm.
The bee fly pictured here is the species Balaana abscondita, similar to the species Balaana gigantea.
These bee flies are dark brown to black in colour. The black-patterned wings help to identify them. Also identified by the the broad white scale band, and extensions on the apical margin of the band.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Diptera
- Family: Bombyliidae
- Subfamily: Anthracinae
- Tribe: Exoprosopini
- Genus: Balaana
- Species: Balaana abscondita
Footnote & References
- Balaana abscondita, iNaturalistAU – Many thanks to chris-lambkin from the iNaturalistAU community for ID confirmation and additional info, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/103519835
- Gigantea Beefly II – Balaana abscondita, https://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_robbers/BalaanaBeefly2.htm
- Balaana, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balaana (last visited Dec. 23, 2021)
- Bee-fly (Balaana gigantea), Bushpea.com – Birds, Books & Other Stuff, http://bushpea.com/in/pg/all/b/bee-fly%20(balaana%20gigantea)%2001.html