Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Register · Log In
HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp
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
Upcoming Events

Registration is open for the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2023

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29


Previous events
TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Aschiza" » Hover Flies (Syrphidae) » Syrphinae » Syrphini » Eupeodes » subgenus Metasyrphus (Eupeodes subgenus Metasyrphus) » subgenus Metasyrphus larvae and puparia (Eupeodes subgenus Metasyrphus larvae and puparia)
Photo#359005
Unknown Cat/Grub/Worm - Eupeodes
Copyright © 2009 Jon Hart

Unknown Cat/Grub/Worm - Eupeodes
Montrose, Laurens County, Georgia, USA
December 13, 2009
Size: approx. 3mm
I came upon this little guy hanging out with a small cluster of aphids on a prunus leaf. It had an interest in the aphid directly facing it. When a larger, winged aphid came over to investigate, it recoiled at its touch, then went back to staring and reaching for the original aphid. It appears to be encased, although it was raining at the time and it just might be mere surface tension. The photos don't show the legs if there are any or I don't recognize them as such. Anyone familiar with this critter?

Images of this individual: tag all
Unknown Cat/Grub/Worm - Eupeodes Unknown Cat/Grub/Worm - Eupeodes Unknown Cat/Grub/Worm - Eupeodes
tag · login or register to post comments
Contributed by Jon Hart on 16 December, 2009 - 7:08pm
Last updated 10 January, 2021 - 10:22pm

Moved
Moved from Unidentified Immature Stages.
… Even Dankowicz, 10 January, 2021 - 10:23pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Syrphid Flies.
Most of these aphid eaters belong in the Syrphinae subfamily, maybe even Syrphini tribe. Let us hope that some get IDed further eventually.
… Beatriz Moisset, 21 December, 2009 - 11:49am login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Jon Hart, 16 December, 2009 - 7:55pm login or register to post comments

Syrphid Fly larva
They do love their aphids! See
… john and jane balaban, 16 December, 2009 - 7:36pm login or register to post comments

 
Geez, you guys are
almost too fast for me! Thanks, J&J. Could this be Toxomerus? I have noted them still hanging around the past couple of weeks in this very area.
Edit: This may explain my finding a number of aphid carcasses in the prunus today.
… Jon Hart, 16 December, 2009 - 7:41pm login or register to post comments

 
Carcasses
Aphids also molt frequently and leave their skins lying around instead of picking up after themselves.
… R. Berg, 16 December, 2009 - 8:13pm login or register to post comments

 
No, not molts, G.
Bodies similar to the one the larva is reaching for in the pics above are on several leaves, looking for all the world as if the guts have been sucked out of them. I have pics of it if you want to see them.
… Jon Hart, 16 December, 2009 - 8:51pm login or register to post comments

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

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Site Map
Contact