Scaly Bee Fly

Scaly Bee Fly (Lepidophora lepidocera)

Another bee fly. This one nectaring on a black-eyed susan. I don't remember ever seeing one of these until a few days ago. Of course, until I started taking photos of them, I didn't pay attention to most bugs if they weren't trying to suck my blood or sting me.

While the adult scaly bee fly eats nectar, it's larvae is a parasite of solitary wasps. Typically, the female wasp excavates a small burrow in the soil, provisions it with insects she has stung, lays eggs and seals the burrow. The bee fly tries to get her egg into the burrow before it is sealed. When it hatches, the bee fly larvae will consume the developing wasp larvae.

Sources:
Cirrus Images
BugGuide

Scaly Bee Fly