Actina viridis is approximately .5 inch (12 mm) in length. It has very large dark brown eyes and a shiny metallic green thorax. The abdomen is brownish-black. The legs are tan with the knees and feet being black. The antennae have a y-shaped appearance which is typical for the genus. When at rest it sits with wings folded over the abdomen. This fly was identified by volunteer experts at the BugGuide website.
The frequency of occurrence is not known for this area, but it is most likely uncommon. The individual shown here was photographed in early June. The adults are likely to be seen on flowers or vegetation.
The larvae of the family Stratiomyidae are aquatic or semi-aquatic. They are elongate, torpedo shaped and may be flattened. Aquatic larvae feed on algae or decaing matter. There are 250 species of Soldier Flies in North America.
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