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

Species Exaireta spinigera - Garden Soldier Fly

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Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon (Orthorrhapha)
Infraorder Stratiomyomorpha
Family Stratiomyidae (Soldier flies)
Subfamily Beridinae
Genus Exaireta
Species spinigera (Garden Soldier Fly)
Other Common Names
Blue Soldier Fly
Explanation of Names
Exaireta spinigera (Wiedemann 1830)
Size
~14 mm(1)
Range
native to Australia, introduced to NA (Pacific Coast); established in CA and BC(1)
Food
decaying organic matter(1)
Remarks
earliest NA record: CA 1985; not a pest(1)
Print References
Swann J.E., R.D. Kenner, R.A. Cannings, C.R. Copley (2006) Exaireta spinigera (Diptera: Stratiomyidae): the first published North American records of an Australian soldier fly. J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 103: 71-72 (Full text)