A woodland is, in the broad sense, land covered with trees, or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood, a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of primary or secondary succession. Higher-density areas of trees with a largely closed canopy that provides extensive and nearly continuous shade are often referred to as forests.
The Bombyliidae are a family of flies. Their common name is bee flies. Adults generally feed on nectar and pollen, some being important pollinators. Larvae generally are parasitoids of other insects.
Anthrax is a genus of bombyliid flies, commonly known as "bee-flies" due to their resemblance to bees. Most are dull black flies, and are usually small to medium in size, 4–20 millimetres (0.2–0.8 in), and many species have striking wing patterns.
The Scenopinidae or window flies are a small family of flies (Diptera), distributed worldwide. In buildings, they are often taken at windows, hence the common name window flies.
Hover flies of the genus Microdon are unusual among the Diptera. Like other members of the subfamily, they are myrmecophiles, meaning they inhabit the nests of ants.
Mythicomyiidae, commonly called mythicomyiids, are very tiny flies (0.5–5.0 mm) found throughout most parts of the world, especially desert and semi-desert regions, except the highest altitudes and latitudes. They are not as common in the tropics, but genera such as Cephalodromia and Platypygus are known from these regions. Many of these "microbombyliids" have a humpbacked thorax and lack the dense vestiture common in the Bombyliidae. Mythicomyiids have until recently not had much attention in the literature. Their small size has caused them to be missed when collecting. Yellow pan trapping and fine-mesh netting in Malaise and aerial sweep nets has resulted in a number of undescribed species from many parts of the world. A high diversity of both genera and species exists for this family in Africa, especially northern and southern portions. About 350 species are known. Hundreds more await description.
Heterostylum is a genus of flies belonging to the family Bombyliidae (bee-flies). There are 14 described species, distributed throughout the Americas. These are robust and very hairy flies with a body length of 10–15 mm. They can be distinguished from similar genera by an indentation in the hind margin of the eye and unique wing venation.
Hemipenthes is a large genus of flies belonging to the family Bombyliidae (bee-flies). There are many described species, distributed throughout the Holarctic realm. These are small to large robust flies with a body length of 5–14 mm. They can be distinguished from similar genera (Villa) by their wing venation. A number of species formerly in this genus were moved to a separate genus, ins in 2020.
Exhyalanthrax afer is a member of the fly family Bombyliidae first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1794.
Anthracinae is a subfamily of bee flies in the family Bombyliidae. There are more than 80 genera and 2,000 described species in Anthracinae.
Conophorini is a tribe of bee flies in the family Bombyliidae. There are about 11 genera and 125 described species in Conophorini.
Bombyliinae is a subfamily of bee flies in the family Bombyliidae. There are about 65 genera and more than 1000 described species in Bombyliinae.
Dicranoclista is a genus of bee flies in the family Bombyliidae. There are at least two described species in Dicranoclista.
Aphoebantus is a genus of bee flies. There are at least 80 described species in Aphoebantus.
Poecilognathus is a genus of bee flies. There are at least 20 described species in Poecilognathus.
Villini is a tribe of bee flies in the family Bombyliidae.
Aphoebantini is a tribe of bee flies in the family Bombyliidae. There are about 5 genera and at least 80 described species in Aphoebantini.
Anastoechus is a genus of bee flies. There are at least 90 described species in Anastoechus.
Ins is a genus of flies belonging to the family Bombyliidae (bee-flies), with 10 described species, distributed throughout the Nearctic and Neotropics. These species were formerly placed in the genus Hemipenthes, but recognized as a separate lineage in 2020.
