This is Laphria flavicollis. I did not collect it. It was dominant in the early spring in the nearby swampy areas of Bell Slough. It has no prominent yellow on the legs though it can have some yellow over the tibias. Distribution of yellow hair in these bumble mimics is important in the separation of species. And males and females of the same species differ, though consistently. This is a medium-sized Laphriinae and a female is pictured here.

Mated pair of Laphria flavicollis. They can still fly for avoidance purposes despite the attachment (believe me). Note the bright yellows on this species and the very black abdomen. These are about 10 to 20 mm Laphria. They love shaded areas with large leafy understories. Often the first robbers out in the forests in April in Arkansas and much of the eastern US. The female is on the right and note the bright yellow hair lateral to her eyes that in the male is dark.

The demise of a cranefly. The killer appears to be a male flavicollis. Not sure what is up with the white powder on the leaf. This is a large kill in my experience for a Laphria. But I have seen two cranefly kills by L. flavicollis and I have also seen L. macquarti take craneflies. I have never seen the monster-sized Laphria lata take prey this large. There are records in the Robert Lavigne prey/predator database of flavicollis taking honeybees, treehoppers and chrysomelid beetles.

The male in spring from the Petit Jean mountains. Always the first robber out in many wooded areas.

April 13th 2012 on Round Mountain, first appearance and taking my beetles already.

The female with an extended ovipositor depositing some eggs in old beetle tunnels in hardwood.

And the resulting reddish eggs in place.