Flower-fly

From Free net encyclopedia

{{Taxobox | color = pink | name = Syrphidae | image = Helophilus_sp.jpg | image_width = 250px | image_caption = Female Syrphid Fly - Helophilus sp. | regnum = Animalia | phylum = Arthropoda | classis = Insecta | ordo = Diptera | superfamilia = Syrphoidea | familia = Syrphidae | subdivision_ranks = Subfamilies | subdivision =

200 genera
about 5,000 species }}

Flies in the Diptera family Syrphidae are commonly known as flower flies, hover flies, or Syrphid flies.

As their common names suggest, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults feed mainly on nectar and pollen, while the larvae (maggots) eat a wide range of foods. In some species, the larvae are saprophytes, eating decaying plant and animal matter in the soil or in ponds and streams. In other species, the larvae are insectivores and prey on aphids, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects. Aphids alone cause tens of millions of dollars of damage to crops worldwide every year, and so aphid-feeding hover-flies are being recognised as important natural enemies of pests, and potential agents for use in biological control. Adult syrphid flies are important pollinators.

Most Syrphids mimic bees or wasps in appearance. It is thought that this mimicry protects hover flies from falling prey to birds and other insectivores which avoid eating true wasps because of their sting. However a flower fly and a wasp can be distinguished by counting the wings. The flies have two wings, and the wasps and bees have four. Hover flies get their name from their characteristic flight pattern of hovering nearly still, then darting a short distance very rapidly only to start hovering again, a pattern not seen in the wasps and bees they mimic.

About 6,000 species in 200 genera have been described.

1 Gallery
2 Identification guides
3 See also
4 External links

[edit]

Gallery

Episyrphus balteatus	Episyrphus balteatus	Wasp Mimic Temnostoma sp.
Volucella inanis	Flower-fly Ocyptamus	Bumblebee Mimic Mallota sp.

[edit]

Identification guides

Stubbs, A.E. British Hoverflies An Illustrated Identification Guide 469 pages, 12 col plates, b/w illus.British Entomological and Natural History Society [ISBN 1899935053]. 276 species are described and their identification is made easy by the extensive keys, which incorporate over 640 line drawings. The 12 superb colour plates by Steven Falk show 263 specimens depicting 190 different species.Good information on the family.
Vockeroth , J.R. A revision of the genera of the Syrphini (Diptera: Syrphidae) Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada, no. 62:1-176. Keys subfamilies, tribes and genera on a world basis and under regions.

[edit]