Species Scaeva pyrastri

Classification · Size · Identification · Food · Remarks · See Also · Internet References

syrphid fly on Ceanothus - Scaeva pyrastri - female

black and white syrphid - Scaeva pyrastri

Hoverfly in flight - Scaeva pyrastri - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon ("Aschiza")

Family Syrphidae (Syrphid Flies)

Subfamily Syrphinae

Tribe Syrphini

Genus Scaeva

Species pyrastri (Scaeva pyrastri)

Size

Adults are 1.27 cm in length.

Identification

Adult's abdomen is dark, with six white, curved stripes. Larvae are light green with a white dorsal longitudinal stripe.

Food

Adults: nectar and/or pollen. Larvae: aphids.

Remarks

It may consume over 500 aphids during its larval stages.

See Also

Eupeodes volucris

Internet References

University of California

Flower flies and other biological controls of aphids. Images of Scaeva pyrastri larvae, fig. 26; adult, fig. 25.

Contributed by john and jane balaban on 21 September, 2004 - 5:17pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Beatriz Moisset
Last updated 8 March, 2010 - 12:02pm

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