Minnesota Flies
Order Diptera |
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Diptera (flies) is the order of insects that is characterized as having a single pair of functional wings on the mesothorax and a pair of halteres, reduced, knob-like structures derived from the hind wings, on the metathorax. The order includes true flies, mosquitos, gnats, and midges. There are more than 150,000 described, still living species worldwide, though there are thought to be twice that number, 17,000 species in North America north of Mexico. |
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Recent Additions |
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Ferruginous tiger crane fly |
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With over 15,000 described species, the family Tipulidae (crane flies) is one of the largest families of true flies (Diptera). More than 1,600 species occur in North America. The subfamily Tipulinae (large crane flies) contains the largest of the crane flies. In North America, the vast majority of species are in the genera Tipula and Nephrotoma. The genus Nephrotoma (tiger crane flies) contains about 150 described species. The most common of these is ferruginous tiger crane fly (Nephrotoma ferruginea). “Ferruginous” means reddish-brown or rust colored, but ferruginous tiger crane fly is more often described as orange in color. It is distinguished from other crane flies by the body color, the antennae that are entirely black except for the first two segments, and by a black spot at each end of a groove across the thorax. |
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| Photo by Alfredo Colon | ||||
Band-winged crane fly |
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Band-winged crane fly (Epiphragma fasciapenne) is a common, easily identified, moderate-sized crane fly. It occurs in the eastern United States and adjacent Canadian provinces east of the Great Plains. Eastern Minnesota is at the western edge of its range. It is found in floodplain woodlands and wooded areas adjacent to swamps. Like all crane flies, the body is long and slim, the wings are long and narrow, and the legs are very long, very thin, and very fragile. The thorax has a distinct, V-shaped groove on top. The lower jaws each have a very long, antenna-like extension. Band-winged crane fly is distinguished by the distinctive wing pattern with four bands of bordered brown spots, and by a dark brown band at the very tip of the third leg segment. |
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| Photo by Alfredo Colon | ||||
Lesser bulb fly (Eumerus spp.) |
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Eumerus is a genus of small hoverflies in the family Syrphidae. With 281 known species, it is one of the largest genera of flies. It is found throughout the Palearctic realm, which includes Europe, Asia north of the Himalayas, North Africa, and the northern and central parts of the Arabian Peninsula. Several Eumerus species have been introduced into North and South America. Three of these are known to occur in the United States: lesser bulb fly (Eumerus funeralis), narcissus bulb fly (Eumerus narcissi), and onion bulb fly (Eumerus strigatus). Collectively, they are known as lesser bulb flies. Adult lesser bulb flies are black tinged with bronze. They have pale longitudinal stripes on the thorax and silvery-white stripes on the abdomen. The larvae are considered pests. They tunnel into plant bulbs, causing the bulbs to rot. The bulb either dies or produces stunted growth in the following growing season. In some areas, up to 25% of narcissus bulbs are infected. |
_01it.jpg "Lesser bulb fly (Eumerus spp.)") |
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| Photo by Alfredo Colon | ||||
Long-tailed dance fly |
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Long-tailed dance fly (Rhamphomyia longicauda) is a small, black, long-legged fly. It is commonly found from May to July in deciduous woods near water. The wings are long and black. The head is round with large bright orange or red eyes. On the female, the middle and hind legs have a fringe of long, black, bristly hairs. Every evening around sunset, males and females collect in same-sex swarms. Females and fly up and down, the behavior that gives this family its common name “dance-flies”. Females cannot hunt for prey. They receive protein from males as gifts in exchange for copulation. They swallow air, filling and extending their abdomen outward, saucer-like, falsely signaling males that their eggs are nearing maturity. The long hairy legs wrap around the abdomen, making it appear even larger. Males are attracted to females that have largest swollen abdomens and hairiest legs. An individual will break off and join the other swarm to select a mate. |
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| Photo by Alfredo Colon | ||||
Bumble bee mimic robber fly (Laphria sacrator) |
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With 7,003 species in 530 genera worldwide, robber flies are one of the largest and most abundant families of insects alive today. Bee-like robber flies, as the common name for the genus suggests, resemble bees. There are 240 species of bee-like robber flies, 62 species in North America north of Mexico. Few of the species have been given a common name. Laphria sacrator is one of several species famous for being a bumble bee mimic, so “bumble bee mimic robber fly” will stand in for the common name. Bumble bee mimic robber fly (Laphria sacrator) is a short, robust, medium-sized, bee-like robber fly. It is fairly common in northeastern and north-central United States, including Minnesota. It has a stout thorax and a short abdomen, both partially covered with long yellow hairs making it resemble a bumble bee. It is one of the hairiest of the bee-like robber flies. Adults are ⅝″ to 1″ long. |
_01it.jpg "bumble bee mimic robber fly (Laphria sacrator)") |
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| Photo by Christa Rittberg | ||||
Other Recent Additions |
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dance fly (Rhamphomyia vittata) hybotid dance fly (Platypalpus spp.) bearded bee fly (Anastoechus barbatus) |
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| Photo by Alfredo Colon | ||||
This list includes only flies that have been recorded in Minnesota, but not all of the flies found in Minnesota. |
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Acamptocladius dentolatens (non-biting midge) Acericecis ocellaris (ocellate gall midge) Aedes spp. (mosquitoes) Aedes vexans (inland floodwater mosquito) Agathomyia spp. (flat-footed fly) Allograpta obliqua (common oblique syrphid fly) Amphibolips spp. (oak apple gall wasps) Anastoechus barbatus (bearded bee fly) Angarotipula illustris (large crane fly) Archytas apicifer (tachinid fly) Atherix variegata (water snipe fly) Axarus festivus (non-biting midge) Brachyopa vacua (yellow-spotted sapeater) Brachypalpus oarus (eastern catkin fly) Calycomyza humeralis (aster leafminer) Calyptratae (calyptrate flies) Cecidomyiidae (gall midges and wood midges) Chalcosyrphus chalybeus (violet leafwalker) Chalcosyrphus nemorum (dusky-banded leafwalker) Chalcosyrphus piger (short-haired leafwalker) Chalcosyrphus satanica (devil’s leafwalker) Chalcosyrphus vecors (orange-hipped leafwalker) Chironomini (non-biting midges) Chironomus atroviridis (non-biting midge) Chironomus plumosus (Winnebago lake fly) Chironomus riparius (non-biting midge) Chironomus spp. (non-biting midge) Chrysopilus ornatus (ornate snipe fly) Chrysopilus quadratus (quadrate snipe fly) Chrysopilus thoracicus (golden-backed snipe fly) Chrysops mitis (benign deer fly) Chrysops spp. (deer fly) Chrysotoxum derivatum (narrow-banded meadow fly) Chrysotoxum fasciolatum (hoverfly) Chrysotoxum laterale (hoverfly) Chrysotoxum radiosum (punctate meadow fly) Cloeon dipterum (pond olive) Coenomyia ferruginea (stink fly) Compsilura concinnata (tachinid fly) Condylostylus longicornis (longlegged fly) Condylostylus patibulatus (longlegged fly) Condylostylus sipho group (longlegged fly) Contarinia verrucicola (linden wart gall midge) Cuterebra buccata (rabbit bot fly) Cuterebra emasculator (squirrel bot fly) Cuterebra grisea (rodent bot fly) Cuterebra spp. (rodent bot fly) Cuterebra sterilator (rodent bot fly) Cylindromyia argentia (tachinid fly) Cylindromyia carolinae (tachinid fly) Cylindromyia euchenor (tachinid fly) Cylindromyia interrupta (tachinid fly) Dalmannia nigriceps (thick-headed fly) Dasineura investita (wood nettle gall midge) Delphinia picta (common picture-winged fly) Demeijerea brachialis (non-biting midge) Didea fuscipes (undivided lucent) Dioprosopa clavata (four-speckled hover fly) Diplocladius cultriger (non-biting midge) Dolichopus spp. (longlegged fly) Drosophila suzukii (spotted-wing drosophila) Egle atomaria (willow catkin fly) Egle longipalpis (willow catkin fly) Egle spp. (willow catkin flies) Epalpus signifer (early tachinid fly) Epiphragma fasciapenne (band-winged crane fly) Epistrophella emarginata (slender smoothtail) Eristalis anthophorina (orange-spotted drone fly) Eristalis arbustorum (European drone fly) Eristalis brousii (hourglass drone fly) Eristalis dimidiata (black-shouldered drone fly) Eristalis flavipes (orange-legged drone fly) Eristalis interrupta (orange-spined drone fly) Eristalis obscura (dusky drone dly) Eristalis stipator (yellow-shouldered drone fly) Eristalis tenax (common drone fly) Eristalis transversa (transverse flower fly) Eugnoriste spp. (dark-winged fungus gnat) Eumerus funeralis (lesser bulb fly) Eumerus spp. (lesser bulb fly) Eumerus strigatus (onion bulb fly) Eupeodes americanus (American hover fly) Eupeodes latifasciatus (variable aphideater) Eupeodes neoperplexus (spot-headed aphideater) Eupeodes perplexus (bare-winged aphideater) Eupeodes pomus (short-tailed aphideater) Eupeodes subg. Metasyrphus (aphideater) Eupeodes volucris (bird hover fly) Eurimyia stipata (long-nosed swamp fly) Eurosta solidaginis (goldenrod gall fly) Exoristinae (tachinid fly) Harmandiola cavernosa (gall midge) Hedriodiscus binotatus (soldier fly) Helophilus fasciatus (narrow-headed marsh fly) Helophilus hybridus (woolly-tailed marsh fly) Helophilus latifrons (broad-headed marsh fly) Holcocephala abdominalis (gnat ogre) Holcocephala calva (gnat ogre) Hydrophoria lancifer (root maggot fly) Hypocritanus fascipennis (eastern band-winged hover fly) Hyporhygma quadripunctatus (non-biting midge) Kribiodorum perpulchrum (non-biting midge) Laphria canis complex (bee-like robber fly) Laphria index (bee-like robber fly) Laphria ithypyga (bee-like robber fly) Laphria posticata (bumble bee mimic robber fly) Laphria sacrator (bumble bee mimic robber fly) Laphria sericea (bee-like robber fly) Laphria spp. (bee-like robber fly) Laphria thoracica (bumble bee mimic robber fly) Lauterborniella agrayloides (non-biting midge) Lejops bilinearis (two-lined swamp fly) Lepidophora lepidocera (scaly bee fly) Lepidophora lutea (hunchback bee fly) Limonia annulata (limoniid crane fly) Liriomyza eupatoriella (white snakeroot leaf miner) Liriomyza spp. (leaf miner flies) Lucilia coeruleiviridis (blue-green bottle fly) Lucilia sericata (common green bottle fly) Lucilia silvarum (marsh greenbottle fly) Mallota bautias (bare-eyed mimic) Mallota illinoensis (midwestern mimic) Mallota posticata (hairy-eyed mimic) Merodon equestris (narcissus bulb fly) Microtendipes pedellus (small red midge) Milesia virginiensis (yellowjacket hover fly) Musca autumnalis (face fly) Musca domestica (house fly) Myolepta strigilata (scaled pegleg) Myopa clausa (thick-headed fly) Neoascia spp. (fen flies) Nephrotoma ferruginea (ferruginous tiger crane fly) Orthonevra nitida (wavy mucksucker) Orthonevra pictipennis (dusky-veined mucksucker) Orthonevra pulchella (dusky mucksucker) Parhelophilus brooksi (Brooks’ bog fly) Parhelophilus flavifacies (black-legged bog fly) Parhelophilus laetus (common bog fly) Parhelophilus obsoletus (unadorned bog fly) Parhelophilus rex (dusky bog fly) Physocephala furcillata (thick-headed fly) Physocephala marginata (thick-headed fly) Physocephala texana (thick-headed fly) Physocephala tibialis (common eastern physocephala) Physoconops brachyrhynchus (thick-headed fly) Physoconops obscuripennis (thick-headed fly) Pilodiplosis helianthibulla (sunflower bullet gall midge) Pipiza atrata (ebony pithead) Pipiza femoralis (white-haired pithead) Pipiza puella (sumac gall pithead) Platypalpus spp. (hybotid dance fly) Platypalpus trivialis hybotid dance fly) Platytipula ultima (large crane fly) Polydontomyia curvipes (dimorphic sickleleg) Polystepha globosa (blackjack oak leaf gall midge) Polystepha pilulae (oak leaf gall midge) Proctacanthella cacopiliga (brown robber fly) Promachus bastardii (false bee-killer) Promachus fitchii (giant robber fly) Promachus vertebratus (giant robber fly) Pterallastes thoracicus (goldenback) Rabdophaga salicisbrassicoides (willow rosette gall midge) Rabdophaga strobiloides (willow pinecone gall midge) Rhagio mystaceus (common snipe fly) Rhagoletis suavis (walnut husk maggot fly) Rhamphomyia fumosa (dance fly) Rhamphomyia irregularis (dance fly) Rhamphomyia longicauda (long-tailed dance fly) Rhamphomyia luteiventris (dance fly) Rhamphomyia pulla (dance fly) Rhamphomyia vittata (dance fly) Rhingia nasica (American snout fly) Rhopalomyia artemisiae (gall midge) Rhopalomyia baccarum (gall midge) Rhopalomyia solidaginis (goldenrod bunch gall midge) Rivellia cognata (signal fly) Rivellia coquilletti (signal fly) Rivellia flavimana (signal fly) Rivellia melliginis (signal fly) Rivellia metallica (signal fly) Rivellia munda (signal fly) Rivellia pallida (signal fly) Rivellia quadrifasciata (soybean nodule fly) Rivellia steyskali (signal fly) Rivellia variabilis (signal fly) Rivellia viridulans (signal fly) Rivellia winifredae (signal fly) Sarcophaga aldrichi (friendly fly) Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis (red-tailed flesh fly) Scathophaga furcata (dung fly) Scathophaga stercoraria (golden dung fly) Schizomyia vitiscoryloides (grape gall midge) Sericomyia chrysotoxoides (oblique-banded pond fly) Sericomyia lata (white-spotted pond fly) Sericomyia militaris (narrow-banded pond fly) Sericomyia transversa (yellow-spotted pond fly) Simuliidae (black fly) Somula decora (spotted wood fly) Sphaeroceridae (lesser dung fly) Sphaerophoria brevipilosa (broad-striped globetail) Sphaerophoria contigua (tufted globetail) Sphaerophoria philanthus (black-footed globetail) Sphaerophoria scripta (long hoverfly) Sphecomyia vittata (long-horned yellowjacket fly) Sphegina campanulata (orange-horned hammertail) Sphegina petiolata (long-spined pufftail) Sphegina rufiventris (black-horned pufftail) Sphiximorpha willistoni (Williston’s wasp fly) Spilomyia alcimus (broad-banded hornet fly) Spilomyia fusca (bald-faced hornet fly) Spilomyia longicornis (eastern hornet fly) Spilomyia sayi (four-lined hornet fly) Stonemyia rasa (shaved horse fly) Stratiomys adelpha (soldier fly) Stratiomys badia (soldier fly) Stratiomys bruneri (soldier fly) Stratiomys discalis (soldier fly) Stratiomys meigenii (soldier fly) Stratiomys norma (soldier fly) Stratiomys normula (soldier fly) Stratiomys unilimbata (soldier fly) Suillia quinquepunctata (heleomyzid fly) Syritta pipiens (thick-legged hoverfly) Syrphus torvus (hairy-eyed flower fly) Systoechus vulgaris (grasshopper bee fly) Tabanus atratus (black horse fly) Tabanus catenatus (chained horse fly) Tabanus fulvicallus (brown-footed horse fly) Tabanus lineola (striped horse fly) Tabanus marginalis (marginal horse fly) Tabanus novaescotiae (Nova Scotia horse fly) Tabanus reinwardtii (Reinwardt’s horse fly) Tabanus sagax (sage horse fly) Tabanus similis (similar horse fly) Tabanus stygius (stygian horse fly) Tabanus trimaculatus (three-spotted horse fly) Tabanus turbidus (horse fly) Tanyptera dorsalis (antlered crane fly) Temnostoma alternans (wasp-like falsehorn) Temnostoma balyras (yellow-haired falsehorn) Temnostoma barberi (bare-bellied falsehorn) Temnostoma excentrica (black-spotted falsehorn) Tetanocera plebeja (marsh fly) Teuchocnemis lituratus (black spur fly) Thaumatomyia glabra (grass fly) Thelaira americana (tachinid fly) Tipula abdominalis (giant crane fly) Tipula borealis (large crane fly) Tipula dorsimacula (large crane fly) Tipula oleracea (marsh crane fly) Tipula paludosa (European crane fly) Tipula submaculata (large crane fly) Tipula trivittata (large crane fly) Toxomerus geminatus (eastern calligrapher) Toxomerus marginatus (margined calligrapher) Toxonevra superba (antlered flutter fly) Trichocera spp. (winter crane fly) Trichopoda pennipes (swift feather-legged fly) Tritoxa flexa (black onion fly) Tritoxa incurva (picture-winged fly) Tropidia quadrata (common thickleg) Trupanea actinobola (fruit fly) Urophora cardui (Canada thistle stem gall fly) Volucella evecta (eastern swiftwing) Volucella facialis (yellow-faced swiftwing) Xanthomelanodes arcuatus (tachinid fly) Xenochironomus xenolabis (non-biting midge) Xylomya americana (wood soldier fly) Xylomya aterrima (wood soldier fly) Xylomya tenthredinoides (wood soldier fly) Xylomya terminalis (wood soldier fly) Xylota angustiventris (two-spotted leafwalker) Xylota ejuncida (polished leafwalker) Xylota tuberculata (short-spined leafwalker) Xylotopus par (non-biting midge) Yamatotipula caloptera (large crane fly) Yamatotipula furca (large crane fly) Zavreliella marmorata (non-biting midge) |
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_01.jpg "bee-like robber fly (Laphria index)")
_01.jpg "bee-like robber fly (Laphria sp.)")
_01.jpg "bumble bee mimic robber fly (Laphria posticata)")
_01.jpg "bumble bee mimic robber fly (Laphria sacrator)")
_01.jpg "heleomyzid fly (Suillia quinquepunctata)")
_01.jpg "hoverfly (Chrysotoxum sp.)")
_01.jpg "hoverfly (Xylota sp.)")
_01.jpg "lesser bulb fly (Eumerus sp.)")
_01.jpg "lesser dung fly (Sphaeroceridae)")
_04.jpg "midge (Axarus festivus)")
_02.jpg "soldier fly (Stratiomys adelpha or discalis)")
_01.jpg "tachinid fly (Cylindromyia interrupta)")
_02.jpg "thick-headed fly (Physoconops obscuripennis)")
_01.jpg "willow catkin fly (Egle sp.)")
_03.jpg "wood soldier fly (Xylomya terminalis)")
_05.jpg "woolly-tailed marsh fly")
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Capitalization of Common Names
Insect scientific names are governed by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN). Vernacular (common) names are not. In an attempt to “assure the uniformity of (common) names of common insects” the Entomological Society of America (ESA) published Common Names of Insects and Related Organisms. ESA has no rule or guideline that addresses capitalization of common names. However, the database of common names published by ESA does not capitalize common names. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) also uses uncapitalized common names. Most other sources, including ITIS, BAMONA, Odonata Central, and the Peterson Field Guides, capitalize common insect names. MinnesotaSeasons.com will adhere to the convention followed by ESA and NCBI.
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