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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Aschiza » Syrphid Flies (Syrphidae) » Eristalinae » Eristalini » Meromacrus » Meromacrus acutus

Species Meromacrus acutus

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Fly - Meromacrus acutus Large wasp-like fly - Meromacrus acutus BG1478 D0883 - Meromacrus acutus BG1480 D0993 - Meromacrus acutus Syrphid Fly - Meromacrus acutus - female Meromacrus acutus Meromacrus acutus Unknown Wasp Mimic - Meromacrus acutus - female
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon (Aschiza)
Family Syrphidae (Syrphid Flies)
Subfamily Eristalinae
Tribe Eristalini
Genus Meromacrus
Species acutus (Meromacrus acutus)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Meromacrus acuta (spelling/grammatical gender)
Size
18 mm
Identification
Large, bee/wasp mimic. Body dark, head, thorax, and abdomen with narrow yellow margins.

Paraphrasing Martin Hauser:
If you check the wing venation you will see that Meromacrus has a deep dip in the vein R4+5, while Milesia has just a slight dip there. Compare Meromacrus acutas on the left, with Milesia virginiensis on the right:
Range
Southeastern United States
Habitat
Fields with flowers, etc.
Season
May-September (North Carolina). June-August (Oklahoma). Perhaps absent in mid-summer?
Food
Takes nectar at flowers.
See Also
Milesia, +Temnostoma
Print References
Arnett, p. 887, describes M. acuta (1).
Brimley, p. 352, lists M. acutus for North Carolina (2).
Castner, p. 147, fig. 545--has a photograph of what is likely M. acutus (3).
Taber and Fleenor, p. 182--color photograph (4)
Syrphidae of Oklahoma (5), lists M. acutus.
Internet References
North Carolina State University Entomology Collection lists M. acuta/us for that state, with 25 pinned.
Works Cited
1.American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico
By Ross H. Arnett
2.Insects of North Carolina
By C.S. Brimley
3.Photographic Atlas of Entomology and Guide To Insect Identification
By James L. Castner
4.Invertebrates Of Central Texas Wetlands
By Stephen Welton Taber, Scott B. Fleenor
5. SYRPHIDAE OF OKLAHOMA (DIPTERA)
Contributed by Cotinis on 31 January, 2006 - 10:01pm
Last updated 29 April, 2008 - 10:26am

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