typical hover flies

(Subfamily Syrphinae)

Overview
common drone fly
Photo by Babette Kis
 

Syrphinae is a subfamily of hover flies called typical hover flies. There are about 6,000 species of hover flies worldwide, about 300 species in North America north of Mexico, and at least 55 species (CCESR) in Minnesota. They are found in a wide variety of habitats, usually on flowers. Another common name for the family Syrphidae is flower flies. They are often seen hovering. Adults feed on flower nectar and pollen. Larvae prey on aphids.

Some species look very similar to wasps, but they do not bite or sting.

 
           
 
Description
 
 

Most Syrphinae are slender and black or brownish-black with yellow markings. On males, the fifth abdominal segment (tergite) is visible. On each side of the exoskeletal plate covering the middle section of the thorax (scutum), in the shoulder (humeral) area just behind the head, there is a small plate (postpronotum). The postpronotum is bare, with no hairs or bristles. Unfortunately, this is not visible without first removing the fly’s head.

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

7, 24, 27, 30, 82, 83.

 
  1/13/2023      
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Diptera (flies)  
 

Suborder

Brachycera  
 

Infraorder

Cyclorrhapha  
  Zoosection Aschiza  
 

Superfamily

Syrphoidea  
 

Family

Syrphidae (hover flies)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

Tribe Bacchini

Tribe Paragini

Tribe Pipizini

Tribe Syrphini

Tribe Toxomerini

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

typical hover flies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

Share your photo of this insect.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption.
 
 

 

 
 

 

 
           
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

 

 
           

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
 
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this insect.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

 

 
     
     
       
       
 
Other Videos
 
  HOVERFLY vs. Aphid! - (Syrphinae sp.)
Richard’s Inverts - 2nd Channel
 
   
 
About

Jun 30, 2014

Hoverfly larva sucking the juices out of an aphid.

⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
► Website - www.richardsinverts.com
► Instagram - www.instagram.com/richards_inverts
► Facebook - www.facebook.com/RichardsInverts
► YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UChAVi9EDFwfOyur82lFTHTw

 

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this insect.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
 
   

 

 
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

 

 

 

 

Binoculars


Created: 10/23/2020

Last Updated:

About Us | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | © MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved.