This fly is approximately 3/8 of an inch (10 mm) in length. It has thick, short hair and is a light tan color on the sides, mostly black on top and white at the end of the abdomen. The clear wings are typical for this genus. Males have large red eyes that are nearly touching. This fly was identified by volunteer experts at BugGuide from photos. Identification to species is difficult and usually not possible from photos.
The status is known from three occurrences in Fontenelle Forest, two in early July and one in late August. Adult bee flies can be seen taking nectar from a variety of flowers.
The genus Villa includes about 50 species in North America. Most species are parasitic on moth caterpillars. The hovering flight of the adults as they nectar at flowers can easily be mistaken for bees.
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