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

TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Photo#738603
Colorful Fly on Thistle - Paracantha

Colorful Fly on Thistle - Paracantha
Mineral Basin, W of Cottonwood Lake, Caffee County, Colorado, USA
July 11, 2012
Small, found on unknown type of Milkweed (corrected to Thistle) plant in Rocky Mountain meadow at 11,800 feet. Thank you for your help.

Images of this individual: tag all
Colorful Fly on Thistle - Paracantha Colorful Fly on Milkweed - Paracantha

Paracantha cultaris femaleā€¦
Seems to match the description. Associated with thistles.

See reference here.

 
Thank you Ross
I appreciate your help. I should note that this plant was a Thistle (as you noted) and not a milkweed. I'll change the initial description to avoid confusing people (sorry!). I am a bit unsure about the species due to the incomplete closure of the medial wedge around the R3 wingspot. The species info page notes Cirsium as the host plant, but so far the 2 sets of photos here for P. cultaris have been on Sunflowers. There is also a small round dark spot between the base of the antennae and the medial eyes, but I'm not sure if that's relevant.

 
re: Cirsiumā€¦
The species page does show Cirsium as the host plant, but it's for Paracantha culta, not P. cultaris. If you click on the 'Species page' under Internet References, you will be taken to a description for P.culta as well. I have attempted to get an editor to fix this in the past, but have not been successful as yet. References that I have seen suggest that sunflowers are the main host, but I have seen it mentioned somewhere that thistles are also targeted (just can't find that reference anymore - sorry!).

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

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