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Species Syritta pipiens

Representative Images

Syritta pipiens Syrphid Fly with bulky legs? - Syritta pipiens - male Syritta pipiens - female thick-legged hover fly - Syritta pipiens - female Syritta pipiens? - Syritta pipiens - female unknown fly - Syritta pipiens - female Male, Syritta pipiens? - Syritta pipiens - male Syritta pipiens

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 Milesiini
Subtribe Tropidiina
Genus Syritta
Species pipiens (Syritta pipiens)

Other Common Names

Thick-legged hoverfly

Explanation of Names

Syritta pipiens (Linnaeus 1758)

Size

6.5-9.5 mm(1)

Identification

Scutum without pale spots in between transverse sutures
Fore and mid legs with dark spots on femora
Spurious vein present

Male:
Hind femur without large peg at base
Medial black stripe on second and third tergites usually rather thick

Female:
Maculae on fourth tergite rectangular, not extending posteriorly

Range

Across NA & Eurasia(2)

Habitat

Larvae in wet decaying organic matter (manure, compost, silage)(1).
Stages of Syritta pipiens have been reported from cow and horse manure, from guinea pig manure and from human excrement. It has also been found in decayed and rotting tulip bulbs and in heaps of vegetable refuse (Hodson, 1931).

Season

mid-Apr to mid-Oct in ON(1)

Food

Larvae feed on decaying Narcissus bulbs; wet manure, compost and silage.

Remarks

Introduced from Europe in the 1800s (Martin Hauser's comment).

Internet References

Species page(3)

Works Cited

1.Syrphidae of Ontario
2.Thompson F.C., Pape T., Evenhuis N.L. (2013) Systema Dipterorum, Version 1.5
3.Flower Flies (Syrphidae) - Syrphidae.lifedesks.org
Contributed by john and jane balaban on 20 September, 2004 - 9:35pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Joyce Gross, Robin McLeod, Aaron Schusteff, v belov, zdanko
Last updated 21 January, 2022 - 7:29pm

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