Larva with aphids - Leucopis

Moved

… Claude Pilon, 8 March, 2010 - 7:56am

I'm wondering if thats a good idea

Moving an image to a genus we may think it is without being sure might not be a good idea. Perhaps moving it to family or even order level until dipteran expert could confirm would be better.

… Natalie Hernandez, 8 March, 2010 - 2:57pm

Leucopis

To address your concern, I have asked Dr. Stephen D. Gaimari to confirm my identification. Yes, it is Leucopis.

… Claude Pilon, 8 March, 2010 - 6:02pm

Well then ignore my previous statement!

Thanks for addressing the concern of an anal entomologist :)

… Natalie Hernandez, 8 March, 2010 - 6:33pm

Its a pupa

Do you still have it? You could collect it and keep it in a container, see what emerges. Then the mystery would be solved once and for all. The two spikes at the bottom of both the pupa and the larva are probably spiracles.

… Natalie Hernandez, 2 March, 2010 - 12:15pm

No, I don't have it

I thought it was a syrphid and didn't collect it. But syrphid spiracles are close together, not apart like here.

… Claude Pilon, 2 March, 2010 - 1:02pm

Oh no I don't think its a syrphid

You're right, syrphid larvae are described as having their posterior spiracles either right next to each other to almost right next to each other. From the other picture of the live larva I was thinking it may be another fly family or the suggestion of some sort of lepidopteran could be correct. This pupa looks more dipteran to me, but I'm not really sure what it is.

… Natalie Hernandez, 2 March, 2010 - 2:25pm

Phoridae?

I'm wondering if it might be a phorid pupa, but no size indication is given (though compared to the aphids it is about the right size for a phorid). Phorids are so diverse that nothing about them would surprise me anymore.

… Eric R. Eaton, 2 March, 2010 - 8:46pm

Ah yes, could be

This larva looks similar to the other picture of the live larva,

… Natalie Hernandez, 3 March, 2010 - 10:25am

Definitely dipteran...

I'm not sure the horns are quite right for a phorid, but I'm not certain that it isn't one either. The only dipteran larva I know of that would be found among aphids, other than a syrphid, is Aphidoletes (Cecidomyiidae). I don't think that's what this is either. I hope somebody knows!

… Charley Eiseman, 3 March, 2010 - 6:47pm

Leucopis

I think I have found what it is.
I first found in the book « Immature Insects, Stehr » an illustration of a fly larva (Leucopis)with 2 long spiracles and then searched and found this web page:
http://www.cottoncrc.org.au/content/Industry/Publications/PestsandBeneficials/CottonInsectPestandBeneficialGuide/Beneficialsbycommonname/Silverfly.aspx

The web site and the book mention that Leucopis larvae prey on aphids.

Thanks everybody for your help.

… Claude Pilon, 7 March, 2010 - 10:05pm