Cyrtopogon auratus Cole

Cyrtopogon auratus Cole, 1919: 230 .

Recognition characters: Black and yellow species; length 10–14 mm; third antennal segment orange; mystax yellow above black below, thorax gray pollinose with two conspicuous brown pollinose spots dorsally; scutellar setae black; wings tinged with brown, darkened along veins; macrotrichia of costal vein black; abdomen black, tergites 2–4 covered with dense golden yellow pile in males, much less conspicuous in females, fifth tergite of male with short black setae; legs, femora black, tibiae and tarsi yellow to red, apex of tibiae ringed with black, except fore tibiae of males.

Distribution: SUBLETTE: Mulligan Park, Bridger National For., 6 Aug. 1968 (RJL); 16 km S of Pinedale, 13 Aug. 1967 (WAN); 63 km SE Boulder/Dutch Joe Guard Sta., 29 June 1978 (RJL). TETON: Grassy Lake, Targhee National For., 5–12 Aug. 1966, 13 Aug. 1967 (RJL); Jenny Lake, Grand Teton National Park, 4 July 1941 (CPA); Lake Solitude, Grand Teton National Park, 2,751 m (9,024 ft), 7 July 1960 (AE, JGE); Moran Canyon, Grand Teton National Park, 2,134 –2,286 m (7,000 –7,500 ft), Aug. 4, 1966 (RJL); Taggart Lake, Trail, Grand Teton National Park, 7 July 1960 (AE, JGE); Targhee National For., 7–11 Aug. 1967 (WP); Togwotee Pass, Teton National For., 22 Aug. 1946 (CPA). YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK: 24 July 1930 (?- FDA); 27 July 1930 (DKF-AMNH) (see Lavigne 1970a); 44°17’N 110°36E / 20 July–12 Aug. 1989: lodgepole forest/E slope (no coll.). Recorded from Wyoming by: Adisoemarto (1967) (YNP, Madison Junction, Cascades Y.R., Sylvan Pass); Cannings (1994); Cole (1969); Curran (1924) [Yellowstone National Park, Cascades Y.R., 22 July 1923 (A. L. Melander) (as Cyrtopogon albitarsis)]; Dennis & Lavigne (2007); Fisher & Wilcox (1997); Geller-Grimm (2018); Lavigne (1970a); Martin & Wilcox (1965); Wilcox & Martin (1936) [Sylvan Pass, Yellowstone Park, 18 June 1930 (E. C. Van Dyke)].

Habitat: Douglas fir forest (clearings within the forest where shrubs and grasses are dominant), and sagebrush steppe shrub and grassland vegetation types. Open glades in mixed coniferous forests.

Ethology: Rests on and forages from sunlit areas on tree trunks and logs; courtship (see Lavigne 1970a).

Prey: All records were collected on 6 Aug. 1968 at Mulligan Park, Bridger National For., except as noted. DIP- TERA, Anthomyiidae: Hylemya platura (Meigen); Empididae: Platypalpus venaticus Melander; Muscidae: Phaonia sp.; Quadrularia punctata Stein; Sciaridae: Bradysia sp.; HYMENOPTERA, Braconidae: Meteorus leviventris (Wesm.); Pteromalidae: Lamprotatus sp. DIPTERA, HEMIPTERA (Heteroptera, Homoptera), HYMENOPTERA, LEPIDOPTERA, NEUROPTERA, TRICHOPTERA (see Dennis & Lavigne 2007; Lavigne 1970a).