Eristalis tenax
| Eristalis tenax | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Syrphidae |
| Genus: | Eristalis |
| Subgenus: | Eoseristalis |
| Species: | E. tenax |
| Binomial name | |
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Eristalis tenax (Linnaeus, 1758) |
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Eristalis tenax is a hoverfly, also known as the drone fly (or "dronefly"). It is migratory and cosmopolitan, the most widely distributed syrphid species in the world, and is known from all regions except the Antarctic. It has been introduced into North America and is widely established.
The larva of E. tenax is a rat-tailed maggot. It lives in drainage ditches, pools around manure piles, sewage, and similar places containing water badly polluted with organic matter. The larva likely feeds on the abundant bacteria living in these places.
When fully grown, the larva creeps out into drier habitats and seeks a suitable place to pupate. In doing so it sometimes enters buildings, especially barns and basements on farms. The pupa is 10–12 mm long, grey-brown, oval, and retains the long tail; it looks like a tiny mouse.
The adult fly that emerges from the pupa is harmless. It looks somewhat like a drone honey bee, and likely gains some degree of protection from this resemblance to a stinging insect. The adults are called drone flies because of this resemblance. In its natural habitat, E. tenax is more of a curiosity than a problem. Like other hover flies, they are common visitors to flowers, especially in late summer and autumn, and can be significant pollinators.
Large (wingspan 15mm), stocky, bee mimic. Eyes are marbled in black. Males have hovering displays.
External images For terms see Morphology of Diptera
Wing length 9·75-13 mm. Stout appearance. Femur 3 thick, hanging down while hovering. Antennomere 3 brownish-black. Tergite 2 with yellow, orange or reddish side-markings. Arista bare. Eyes brown-haired, with two distinct bands of dense and darker hair. Male eyes clearly holoptic. All tarsi black. The male genitalia are figured by Hippa et al. (2001) The larva is figured by Hartley (1961) and in colour by Rotheray (1993).
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