On the left is a bumble bee. On the right is... not a bumble bee.
Laphria macquarti is one of the larger and more spectacular mimics of common bumble bees in the southeastern United States. These agile predatory insects are in the robber fly family Asilidae, and like most robber flies, they catch prey in mid-air. Their beelike appearance likely deters their own would-be predators.
Public domain image by Karen Perez, from the UT Insect Collection's Insects Unlocked project.
