Family Syrphidae - Syrphid Flies

Flower Flies

Hover Flies

Arnett, p. 884 lists 91 genera and 874 species. (1)

1-35 mm, typically 10-20 mm

Flies often seen about flowers. Bodies often have black-and-yellow bands, presumably mimicking hymenoptera. Some even buzz like bees. (They do not bite or sting, however.) Family can be recognized by spurious wing vein, see, for example, Arnett, fig. 29.40, p. 888 (1) and photos/diagrams:

Adults often feed on nectar and/or pollen.

Larvae may feed on decaying vegetation, aquatic detritus, or wet wood, others are predators, especially of aphids. Some larvae are myrmecophiles, i.e., live in ant nests, and a few are associated with wasps. A few attack living plants, especially bulbs of forbs. Larvae that live in water with much decaying organic matter have a long anal breathing tube, and are called "rat-tailed maggots".

According to the article: Natural enemies and insecticides that are detrimental to beneficial Syrphidae ". . . many species in the following genera are important as predators in the larval stage on aphids: Allograpta, Baccha, Mesograpta, Melanostoma, Paragus, Pipiza, Scaeva, Syrphus, Metasyrphus, and Sphaerophoria. Others in the genera Baccha, Pipiza, Scaeva, Syrphusi, and Metasyrphus are predaceous in their larval development on coccids . . ."

Arnett, pp. 884-887 (1)

Swan and Papp, pp. 618-620 (1)

Borror and White, pp. 281-282 (2)

Insects of Cedar Creek has a good page on this family, with links to many images.

Genera of Flower Flies

World of Syrphidae--European emphasis

Field Guide to the Syrphidae of Ontario

Cirrus Images--photos

Buglife European emphasis

Wikipedia

Univ. Kentucky Critter Case Files--Flower Flies--diagram shows spurious wing vein

Hover Fly Survey of L.A. County, CA. More than 80 spp. are listed, and >50 with specimen photos and some information on distribution and life habits.