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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Aschiza" » Hover Flies (Syrphidae) » Eristalinae » Eristalini » Eristalina » Meromacrus » Meromacrus acutus

Species Meromacrus acutus

Classification · Other Common Names · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Season · Remarks · Works Cited
Yellowjacket mimic? - Meromacrus acutus fly - Meromacrus acutus - male Meromacrus acutus Fly 2015.07.05-8644 - Meromacrus acutus - male Wasp Mimic Fly - Meromacrus acutus Meromacrus acutus Syrphid - Meromacrus acutus Meromacrus acutus? - Meromacrus acutus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon ("Aschiza")
Family Syrphidae (Hover Flies)
Subfamily Eristalinae
Tribe Eristalini
Subtribe Eristalina
Genus Meromacrus
Species acutus (Meromacrus acutus)
Other Common Names
Carolinian Elegant (1)
Explanation of Names
Meromacrus acutus (Fabricius 1805)
Size
13-19 mm (1)
Identification
Boldly marked Batesian mimic of wasps. Yellow markings are composed of dense yellow pile. Note black stripe on face and orange pile on dorsal side of metatarsus (1).
Range
se. US (VA-FL-TX)(2)
BugGuide records from as far north as PA and IA
Season
May-Sep in NC(3), Jun-Aug in OK(4), as late as October in south (1)
Remarks
Clearly a Batesian mimic of Hymenoptera, perhaps specifically a mimic of yellowjackets, such as Vespula squamosa or V. maculifrons:
Works Cited
1.Field Guide to the Flower Flies of Northeastern North America
Jeffrey H. Skevington and Michelle M. Locke, Andrew D. Young, Kevin Moran, William J. Crins and Stephen A. Marshall. 2019. Princeton University Press.
2.Thompson F.C., Pape T., Evenhuis N.L. (2013) Systema Dipterorum, Version 1.5
3.Insects of North Carolina
C.S. Brimley. 1938. North Carolina Department of Agriculture.
4.Syrphidae of Oklahoma (Diptera)
Shorter D.A., Drew W.A. 1976. Proc. Okla. Acad. Sci. 56: 75-94.
Contributed by Cotinis on 31 January, 2006 - 10:01pm
Additional contributions by v belov, KenW
Last updated 22 January, 2021 - 8:46am

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