Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Aschiza" » Hover Flies (Syrphidae) » Eristalinae » Volucellini » Copestylum » mexicanum-violaceum group (Copestylum mexicanum-violaceum group) » Mexican Cactus Fly (Copestylum mexicanum)

Species Copestylum mexicanum - Mexican Cactus Fly

Representative Images

Large Bumble Fly? - Copestylum mexicanum Syrphid? - Copestylum mexicanum Fly on Gumhead - Copestylum mexicanum - male Mexican Cactus Fly - Copestylum mexicanum - female Black fly with distinctive patterned wings - Copestylum mexicanum Copestylum mexicanum-violaceum group - Copestylum mexicanum - female Male, Copestylum mexicanum? - Copestylum mexicanum - male Copestylum mexicanum - female

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 Volucellini
Genus Copestylum
No Taxon (mexicanum-violaceum group)
Species mexicanum (Mexican Cactus Fly)

Other Common Names

Mexican Flower Fly

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Volucella mexicana, V. nigra

Explanation of Names

Copestylum mexicanum (Macquart 1842)

Identification

Alula entirely covered with microtrichae.

Range

so. US (GA-FL-CA) & Mexico(1)

Food

Larvae feed on rotting cactus

Internet References

Curran, C. H. (1953). Notes and descriptions of some Mydaidae and Syrphidae (Diptera). American Museum Novitates Vol. 1645: 1-15. (AMNH Digital Repository)

Works Cited

1.Thompson F.C., Pape T., Evenhuis N.L. (2013) Systema Dipterorum, Version 1.5
Contributed by Tony DiTerlizzi on 19 January, 2005 - 7:11pm
Additional contributions by Hartmut Wisch, Chuck Entz, v belov, Arturo Santos, zdanko
Last updated 1 February, 2022 - 12:41pm

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