Caterpillar - Syrphus - BugGuide.Net

Moved

Moved from Unidentified Immature Stages.

… Even Dankowicz, 10 January, 2021 - 8:40pm

Moved

Moved from Unidentified immature stages.

… John F. Carr, 19 December, 2013 - 2:01pm

Moved

Moved from Syrphid Flies.

… Kelsey J.R.P. Byers, 18 December, 2013 - 8:06pm

Syrphinae

Free range predatory Syrphidae larvae can move to the Syrphinae larvae page, http://bugguide.net/node/view/356989. Eristalinae are aquatic or mud dwellers.

I probably should have put it there originally.

… John F. Carr, 18 December, 2013 - 8:18pm

Ah - wonderful! I didn't rea

Ah - wonderful! I didn't realize the distinction (I knew about some Eristalinae, but not the rest). Are Microdontinae exclusive to ant nests?

… Kelsey J.R.P. Byers, 18 December, 2013 - 8:30pm

Another source

Ståhls et al. 2003

"In contrast to the fairly uniform flower-feeding habits of adult syrphids, larvae are found in a very diverse array of habitats. Those of subfamily Eristalinae are saprophagous in dead wood, coprophagous, phytophagous, aquatic filterfeeders or inquilines in social insect nests, whereas larvae of Microdontinae are inquilines in ants' nests, and larvae of Syrphinae are mostly predaceous on soft-bodied Homoptera."

… John F. Carr, 19 December, 2013 - 7:36am

Thanks! (I'll be less lazy n

Thanks! (I'll be less lazy next time; I appreciate the refs)

Looks like I should go through the larvae/immature stages page, then.

… Kelsey J.R.P. Byers, 19 December, 2013 - 12:37pm

Habitat

See Manual of Nearctic Diptera volume 2 page 717, second paragraph of "biology and behavior." Microdontinae are said to live only in ant nests. All Eristalinae seem to live "in" something, rather than "on" like Syrphinae.

… John F. Carr, 19 December, 2013 - 6:59am

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… John F. Carr, 10 June, 2013 - 3:45pm

Probably near here

eating the aphids

… John R. Maxwell, 1 June, 2013 - 4:21pm