I missed getting photos of Mydas clavatus (fam. Mydidae) on group photo outings, I believe, for three straight years. I seemed to be somewhere else and my “friends” failed to let me know… 😉 Well, back in July, I finally got lucky and found this one nectaring on some Pycnanthemum at Prairie Garden Trust in Callaway County, MO on a WGNSS Photo Group trip.
These are downright fascinating insects. The larvae of mydas flies feed on beetle larvae that reside in soil or rotting wood. The adults, who are Batesian mimics of spider wasps (Pompilidae), apparently feed solely on nectar and can be found in the heat of the day skimming across the prairies to find their favorite flowers.
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 