Hoplistomerus Serripes, a long name for a West African fly. I suspect since this illustration was drawn, we know refer to this insect with another name. I found only historical references to it. One did mention that these insects are black with reddish hairs and have wings that are “slightly clouded with brown.” Another article mentioned it had a golden abdomen. Most called it a fly, a few called it a bee.
For our purposes, I’m calling it a black and white fly drawing. It was included in an 1890 work on collecting insects; the illustrator was not identified. I think it’s a great image for crafting. The fact that it is a bit of a mystery bug would seem to permit us even more artistic freedom with this vintage image. Seems like you could easily color in the wings and turn this fellow into a very colorful piece that could be made to go with any design.
This image is copyright free and in the public domain anywhere that extends copyrights 70 years after death or at least 120 years after publication when the original illustrator is unknown.
