Bug FAQHemipenthes maura
Hemipenthes maura · Order: Diptera · Family: Bombyliidae
Hemipenthes maura is a small fly about 6 to 12 mm long, with a matte black body and a pair of white or yellowish stripes on the sides of the thorax. Adults are seen from June to August visiting flowers for nectar and pollen, while the larvae are hyperparasites that eat the larvae of parasitic Hymenoptera such as Ichneumonidae and Tachinidae. The species lives on forest edges and dry grasslands across much of Europe, from Spain to Norway and the European part of Russia.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The body is matte black with a dusting of black and has a pair of white or yellowish stripes on the sides of the thorax.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
It measures about 6 to 12 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It inhabits forest edges, xerothermic grasslands and sand-loving grasslands.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Adults feed on nectar and pollen from flowers. Larvae are hyperparasites that consume the larvae of parasitic Hymenoptera such as Ichneumonidae and Tachinidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from June to August. The larvae are hyperparasites of parasitic Hymenoptera.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active during the months of June, July and August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Hemipenthes maura has a Palaearctic distribution and is found in many European countries including Spain, France, Germany, Norway, Finland and others.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It can be confused with Hemipenthes morio, which has a transparent tip on the R1 radial cell. Wing venation differences help separate it from similar species.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
What do the larvae of Hemipenthes maura eat?
The larvae are hyperparasites that eat the larvae of parasitic Hymenoptera such as Ichneumonidae and Tachinidae.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I tell Hemipenthes maura apart from similar flies?
Look for a pair of white or yellowish stripes on the thorax and check wing venation; Hemipenthes morio has a transparent tip on the R1 radial cell.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Bombyliidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemipenthes_maura
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.