Nogales, Santa Cruz County, Arizona
Coordinates: 31.335370, -110.938007
Elevation: 3,932 ft
August 6, 2022
Size: 34 mm
She appeared to be laying eggs in the soil at the bottom of a catclaw vine, MacFadyena unguis-cati. Another one of these flies was performing a similar behavior a couple of feet from her, but I did not capture it or could pay attention before it flew away.
Determined by Salvador Vitanza
Confirmed by Eric Fisher who said: “Yes, this is a female Archilestris magificus. It does oviposit in the soil.”