bare-bellied falsehorn

Bare-bellied falsehorn is a medium-sized, wasp-mimic hoverfly. It occurs in northeast and north-central United States and in adjacent Canadian provinces.

Adults are ⅜″ to ⅝″ (9 to 14.5 mm) long.

The protruding mouthpart (proboscis) is short and fleshy.

The thorax and abdomen are black with yellow markings. The exoskeletal plate on the underside of the thorax that is associated with the second thoracic segment (katepisternum) has a continuous (uninterrupted) band of hairs on the rear margin. The plate on the underside of the third thoracic segment (metasternum), between the bases of the middle and hind legs, has no hairs, but this is not visible without magnification.

Abdominal segments 2, 3, and 4 each have a single yellow band. The hairs on the rear margin of segment 5 are black.

The outer part of the wing is mostly smoky brown, the inner part mostly clear. The basal medial cell (bm), discal medial cell (dm), and posterior cubital cell are mostly free of hairs, but this is not visible without magnification. There is a spurious vein between the radius (R) and media (M) veins. The cross-vein that runs between the radius and media veins (R-M cross-vein) does so beyond the middle of the discal cell. The anal cell is long and is closed near the wing margin. The R₅ and M₂ cells are also closed.

Total length: ⅜″ to ⅝″ (9 to 14.5 mm)

Hilltops

Mid-May to mid-August

Larvae are found in moist, decaying wood.

Decaying organic debris

Sources

24, 27, 29, 30, 82, 83.

Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu, 7/16/2025).

Fairly common

Mimicry
Stoil Ivanov

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota