Heteropogon wilcoxi James, 1934

Lavigne, Robert J. & Dennis, Steve, 2019, Robber flies (Insecta: Diptera: Asilidae) of Wyoming, USA with keys to genera and species, Zootaxa 4662 (1), pp. 1-126 : 77

Heteropogon wilcoxi James

Heteropogon wilcoxi James, 1934: 84 .

Recognition characters: Gray species; length 13–19 mm; mystax white; thorax mostly gray pollinose with some brown; scutellar setae and bristles white; wings hyaline; abdomen gray pollinose, lateral setae on abdominal segments 1–4 white; legs, femora black, tibiae and tarsi reddish brown, setae and bristles on legs white except for bristles on apical 3 tarsal segments, patch of white setae on fore tarsi and patch of black setae on middle tibiae of males.

Distribution: BIG HORN: Greybull Airport, 16 June 1966 ( RJL). FREMONT: Ethete, 29 June 1955 ( PF); near Lander; 1,524 –2,438 m (5,000 –8,000 ft), July (RM-Martin record); 16 km S of Shoshoni, 19 June–24, 1964 ( RJL), 29 June–1 July 1965 ( FRH-RJL), 16–17 June 1969, 27 June 1970, 22–25 June 1971 ( LR), 15 June 1972 ( SD). GOS- HEN: Torrington, 26 July 1937. HOT SPRINGS: Owl Creek Mtns., N end of Wind River Canyon, 25 June 1961 ( RJL). PLATTE: Guernsey, 6 July 1961 ( RJL), 8 July 1964 ( LDH); Dwyer, 30 June 1964 ( FRH, RJL); Hartville, 19–25 June 1963 ( RJL); 25 June–9 July 1964 ( FRH, RJL); 11 km N of Hartville, 15–19 June 1964 ( RJL). Recorded from Wyoming by: Adisoemarto (1967); Dennis & Lavigne (1975) (as prey of Stenopogon inquinatus ), (1976b) (pupal case); Dennis et al. (2008) (pupal case), (2009, 2010); Fisher & Wilcox (1997); Geller-Grimm (2018); Lavigne & Dennis (1994); Lavigne & Holland (1969); Lavigne et al. (1976) [as prey of Pogonioefferia benedicti (as Efferia benedicti )]; Martin & Wilcox (1965).

Habitat: Saltbrush-greasewood shrub, sagebrush steppe and wheatgrass-needlegrass shrub steppe shrub and grassland, and grama-needlegrass-wheatgrass and grama-buffalo grass grassland vegetation types. Open range/ rangeland, short- to mid-grass plains (see Lavigne & Holland 1969).

Ethology: Forages only from vegetation and never from the ground; courtship (see Lavigne & Holland 1969).

Prey: All prey were taken 11 km N of Hartville from 13–19 July 1968, except as noted. COLEOPTERA , Anthicidae : Anthicus sp.; Scarabaeidae : DIPTERA , Anthomyiidae : Hylemya cinerella (Fallen) , 16 km S of Shoshoni, 24 June 1971; Chloropidae : Meromyza pratorum Meigen ; Olcella parva (Adams) ; Muscidae ; Haematobia irritans (Linn.) ; Sarcophagidae : Sarcophaga sp.; Scenopinidae : Scenopinus sp., 16 km S of Shoshoni, 20, 24 June 1971; HEMIPTERA (Heteroptera) , Lygaeidae : Emblethis vicarious Horvath (two records); Pentatomidae : Microporus obliquus Uhler ; Scutelleridae : Eurygaster amerinda (Bliven) ; HEMIPTERA (Homoptera) , Cicadellidae : Aceratagallia sp. (two records); Cuerna striata (Walker) (25 records); Deltocephalinae (unidentified nymph); Frigartus frigidus (Ball) (two records); Praphlepsius lascivius (Ball); Psammotetti sp. (three records); Dictyopharidae : Scolops angustatus (Uhler) ; HYMENOPTERA , Braconidae : Microctonus eleodis (Vier) ; Orgilus sp.; Formicidae (winged reproductives, except as noted); Formica obtusopilosa Emery (worker), 16 km S of Shoshoni, 19 June 1971; Formica sp. (52 records); Myrmicinae (unidentified); Pheidole sp. (three records); Pogonomyrmex occidentalis (Cresson) (five records); Tapinoma sessile (Say) (four records). COLEOPTERA , DIPTERA , HEMIPTERA (Heteroptera, Homoptera) , HYMENOPTERA , LEPIDOPTERA , PSOCOPTERA (see Dennis et al. 2009, 2010; Lavigne & Dennis 1994; Lavigne & Holland 1969).