Genus Pollenia - Cluster flies

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Identification · Range · Works Cited

Pollenia - Cluster flies - Pollenia - female

Pollenia rudis? - Pollenia rudis - female

A small marauding fly - Pollenia - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon (Calyptratae)

Superfamily Oestroidea

Family Polleniidae

Genus Pollenia (Cluster flies)

Explanation of Names

Pollenia Robineau-Desvoidy 1830

Numbers

6 spp. in our area (all possibly introduced)(1), hundreds total

Identification

Adult cluster flies resemble house flies, but are slightly larger, about 5/16 inch long, narrower and nonmetallic gray. When at rest, they overlap their wings at the tips, whereas the house fly does not. Also, the thorax is without distinct stripes, contains many short, yellow-golden hairs, and the dark gray abdomen is hairy with light and dark patches of color. When crushed, the cluster fly has an odor resembling "buckwheat honey."

Species identification is usually impossible from images alone and may require seeing

thorax from behind (one species has a pattern only visible from behind)

underside of the wing, near the base, to see if a tuft of small hairs is present (a 1:1 or closer macro may be necessary)

posterior thoracic spiracle (to see color)

closeup of mid femur and tibia (to see small hairs)

Key to NA species in (2)

Range

primarily holarctic

Works Cited

1.	Keys to the genera and species of blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) of America north of Mexico Whitworth T.L. 2006. Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. 108: 689–725.

2.	Cluster flies (Calliphoridae: Polleniinae: Pollenia) of North America Adam Jewiss-Gaines, Stephen A. Marshall, and Terry L. Whitworth. 2012. Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification.

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 22 February, 2005 - 10:07pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Matthias Buck, Bbarnd, Vox Sciurorum, v belov, KenW
Last updated 30 September, 2021 - 5:26pm

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