Numbers
2 species in North America listed at
nearctica.com
S. pipiens is common to abundant throughout its range
Identification
S. pipiens: apical third of hind femur with row of spines along ventral edge (see
close-up photo from Insects of Cedar Creek)
S. flaviventris: base of hind femur with prominent projection - lacking in
S. pipiens (see
close-up photos by Gerard Pennards and Paul Beuk)
Range
S. pipiens: all of United States and southern Canada (absent from the arctic)
S. flaviventris: in North America, occurs only in Texas and Mexico
Habitat
adults are found in fields and grasslands with flowers
larvae live in wet decaying organic matter such as manure, compost, and silage
Season
adults of S. pipiens fly from late April to October in the north (Ontario); probably earlier and later in the south
Food
adults take nectar from flowers of a wide variety of herbaceous plants
larvae feed on wet decaying organic matter such as cattle dung and silage
Internet References
live and pinned adult images of S. pipiens with arrows pointing to distinctive features, plus habitat and seasonality (Jeff Skevington
et al, Field Guide to Flower Flies of Ontario)
live adult images of S. pipiens plus photos of habitat and food (J.K. Lindsey, Netherlands)
pinned adult images of S. flaviventris by Gerard Pennards and Paul Beuk (Cyrille Dussaix, France)
distribution of
S. pipiens and
S. flaviventris (The Diptera Site, US Dept. of Agriculture)
