Laphria thoracica

This species is not as common as some of the other Laphria in central Wisconsin, but it is fortunately, one of the easiest to identify with a mainly dark mystic and beard and a rather obvious extension of the yellow hairs on the thorax to below the wing.

Identifying characteristics

This species has a mainly black mystax with some scattered yellow hairs, and mainly black hairs surrounding the eyes. The thorax is yellow and the abdomen may have a variable amount of yellow hairs on abdominal segments two through four. The yellowish arc of hairs that extend from the anterior of the thorax to below the wing insert, make an obvious field mark that is useful in the field.

Similar species

L. sacrator is somewhat similar in size but that species has numerous yellowish hairs on the legs and always has yellow hairs on segments one to three.