About Anthrax anthrax (Schrank, 1781)
Anthrax anthrax (Schrank, 1781) is a fairly large fly species, with a body length of 10 millimeters. Its body is black, featuring four white markings on the second and third abdominal terga, and two additional white markings at the tip of the abdomen. The first abdominal tergum is black, with tufts of white hairs along its sides; these tufts are visible in the referenced photograph of a hovering individual. Most of the wing surface is black, with only the wing tip being transparent, and the wing veins are dark brown. One associated photograph was overexposed, which allows the veins to be clearly seen against the brightly lit background. Newly emerged adult Anthrax anthrax can sometimes be found resting on bee hotels. Newly emerged individuals have dull black bodies and more transparent wings than mature specimens. This species has been recorded in Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Canary Islands, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Georgia, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Serbia, and Sweden.
