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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Calyptratae » Muscoidea » Dung Flies (Scathophagidae) » Scathophaginae » Scathophaga » Golden Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria)
Photo#8252
Golden Dung Flies - Scathophaga stercoraria - male - female
Copyright © 2004 Timothy Robert Nichols

Golden Dung Flies - Scathophaga stercoraria - Male Female
Mineral County, West Virginia, USA
October 25, 2004
These seem to be very actively mating in October, but I know little of their habits otherwise. I notice that the other photos of them on here are from West Virginia. Do these appear elsewhere?
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Contributed by Timothy Robert Nichols on 27 October, 2004 - 7:32am

Just follow the smell...
If Scathophaga stercoraria flies in America are just like their conspecifics in Europe, you will be able to find them everywhere where you find cow dung. They are major inhabitants (or rather their larvae) of cow pads and fierce predators on anything else that tries to live there. Some rove beetles (Aleocharinae) again predate/parasitize their pupae.

The flies are relatively insensitive to cold so you can find them throughout the year as long as the temperature does not get too low.

Paul

http://www.diptera.info
… Paul Beuk, 27 October, 2004 - 7:54am login or register to post comments

 
Thanks, Paul.
These creatures have been here for years then, throughout most of the year, and I haven't known it. There is much to discover in our own backyard.
… Timothy Robert Nichols, 27 October, 2004 - 8:54pm login or register to post comments

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