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Photo#52729
fly - Laetodon laetus

fly - Laetodon laetus
Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, USA
May 17, 2006
Size: ~10 mm

Images of this individual: tag all
fly - Laetodon laetus fly - Laetodon laetus

Moved
Moved from Microdon.

Microdon
Yes it is claerly a Microdon. The larvae of these beautiful flies look like snails (and have been described as snails in the past) and live in ant nests where they eat ant larvae and eggs. I can not give a species ID, I always have problems with identifying the species of this genus.

 
Microdon
Thanks for the ID and the interesting information.

Lovely
Not sure this isn't a very fine looking Syrphid in the genus Microdon. Can't be absolutely sure. This is a large genus in the east but the adults are not seen that often because they don't fly far from their ant nest birth places. Facial, antenna and body structure are very similar to one I photographed last year. And that was the only adult I have ever seen.

 
Thanks
This is the first and only I've seen too. I hope to see some more.

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