Bee Killer
The three most common bee killers come from the genus Mallophora - the Florida bee killer (Mallophora Bomboides), the Southern bee killer (Mallophora Orcina) and the Black bee killer (Mallophora Nigra). This animal is a type of fly. In Florida, other bee killer species are the Mallophora Chrysomela(Bromley) and the Mallophora Rex (Bromley).
As their name suggests, bee killers feed on other species of bees. Over 20 bee killer species in the Asilid genus swarm around the Southeastern United States, attacking a wide range of Hymenoptera species, such as honey bees. As honey bees are the Southern bee killers' primary food source, beekeepers can suffer an economic loss when the Mallophora kill their bees.
When adult bee killers lay their eggs, they place them under the soil. Once they hatch into larvae, they become maggots like all fly larvae and roam around the soil. Adult bee killers prefer to live in open surroundings, and can live in close proximity to apiaries, where bees are kept. When hunting their food, bee killers hide on weeds or shrubs before they strike. Their diet is composed of wasps and bees, including bumblebees, carpenter bees and honey bees. Bee killers prefer honey bees over other prey, as honey bees have larger colonies and slower defense mechanisms.
The scutellums, or thorax-like body shields, and abdomens of Black bee killers are completely covered with black hairs. However, depending on the species of bee killer, some yellow or white hairs may also be seen. The Southern bee killer has four to five abdominal tergites, which are thickly wrapped with patches of yellow hair, but other parts of their bodies are covered with black hair. The Southern bee killers measure around 20 millimeters long, while the Florida bee killers measure up to 25 millimeters. Florida bee killers have smoky-brown wings and bodies with intense black, yellow and--less commonly--white hairs. They are often confused with bumblebees, as they resemble them in color and body shape and make bee-like sounds while flying.
All bee killer species can endanger colonies of bees. Although bees become pests when they swarm indoors, they are very important to the process of pollination, which preserves the ecosystem. It is important to be aware of bee killers, especially if you cultivate helpful bees within your surroundings.
