Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Photo#1839904
Translucent (Fly?) Larva

Translucent (Fly?) Larva
Royal Oak, Oakland County, Michigan, USA
June 23, 2020
Size: 5 mm
I have observed several translucent "worms" on my milkweed plants, which I am assuming are larvae of some species. I have seem them solo and at least one case as a pair. In one case the larva was eating a dead earwig; in this case I found it half inside a dead fly. This one is unusual in that there is a colorful mass at what I think is the back end (maybe this could be the remains of the fly meal). I am trying to nail down what might be eating my monarch caterpillars.

Images of this individual: tag all
Translucent (Fly?) Larva Translucent (Fly?) Larva

Puzzle
This is not one of the common predatory fly larvae. Syrphidae differ in the form of the posterior spiracles (except for one species associated with corn), Cecidomyiidae differ in head structure, and Chamaemyiidae differ in texture. Most but not all Dolichopodidae have distinct lobes on the back end.

 
not one of the common predatory fly larvae
If its not a fly larva, what direction would you point me in?

 
perhaps the larva
is just scavenging?

 
is it just scavenging?
When I cam across this larva, it was well inside the fly's abdomen; it appeared to me that the half that was outside was it's back half. As I photographed it, it seemed to back out and but stay close to the fly, presumably its meal. I am guessing it either came out of the fly, or it killed the fly (I don't find dead flies just clinging to the leaves waiting to be scavenged).

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.