Alternanthera publifora andh Phyla canescens visited by bee fllies (Diptera:Bombyliidae)

Abstract

We described the diversity and abundance of Bombyliidae at the genus level, collected with an aerial net from two weed species, Alternanthera publiflora (Benth.) Kuntze (Amaranthaceae) and Phyla canescens (Kunth) Greene (Verbenaceae), between January and May 2023 in the fields of Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina in Lima, Peru. We recorded 186 specimens at six collection points, distributed across four genera: Paravilla Painter, 1933, Villa Lioy, 1864, Chrysanthrax Osten Sacken, 1886, and Hemipenthes Loew, 1869. The phenology of the genera and the plants where the flies were collected is described. We found that May showed the highest abundance of Bombyliidae (71), distributed across the genera Villa (34), Paravilla (21), Chrysanthrax (9), and Hemipenthes (7), while the genus Paravilla had the greatest abundance (24) in April. Images of the four collected genera are presented. This research contributes to the knowledge of this family of pollinating insects, which has few records in the country, and the plants that host them.