Family Syrphidae - Syrphid Flies

Flower Flies, Hover Flies

ca. 900 spp. in >90 genera in our area(1), ~6,000 spp. in ~300 genera worldwide (2)

1-35 mm, typically 10-20 mm

Guide to the northeastern fauna:(3)

Can be recognized by the spurious wing vein(1):

  

Many mimic wasps/bees and may even buzz like bees, but do not bite or sting.

throughout North America and worldwide

many frequent flowers

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".

Role as aphid biocontrol agents, with many examples & good photos, described in(4)

Many species of Allograpta, Baccha, Mesograpta, Melanostoma, Paragus, Pipiza, Scaeva, Syrphus, Metasyrphus, and Sphaerophoria are important aphid predators; larvae of Baccha, Pipiza, Scaeva, Syrphusi, and Metasyrphus are predaceous on coccids. (Weems 1954)