This colorful Flower Fly is approximately 3/8 inch (10 mm) in length. The eyes are large and dark red-brown. The thorax is dark brown and the scutellum is a tan color. The abdomen is black with paired yellow spots. Usually after the first spots, the other spots merge to form yellow bands that narrow in the middle. The wings are a clear tan color. The abdomen has a black margin, which separates this genus from other Syrphid genera. On the individual shown here there are narrow white “bands” in the black segments. These are actually a fungus which has infected the fly, and will eventually kill it.
This flower fly is found throughout the U.S. The frequency of occurrence in Fontenelle Forest is unknown, but the individual shown here was photographed in late October.
The adults take nectar from flowers. The larvae feed on aphids (although they are known to take other available food). The individual shown here was infected with a fungus as can be seen from the white bands in the abdomen.
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