Syrphidae of New York State

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This tribe contains 8 genera and 31 or likely more species found in New York State

Genera table

Genus	authority	common name	# in N.Y.	Defining characteristics
Brachyopa	Meigen, 1822	Sapeater Fly	8	Face and scutellum tan to orange or yellow. Last section of R4+5 vein shorter than crossvein h.
Chrysogaster	Meigen, 1803	Wrinkleheaded Fly	1	Last section of R4+5 longer than crossvein r-m. Face entirely black. Antennae on lower part of head.
Chrysosyrphus	Sedman, 1965	Wrinkleheaded Fly	1	like Chrysogaster but antennae on upper part of head.
Hammerschmidtia	Schummel, 1834	Logsitter Fly	2	postalar callus, and scutellum with strong bristles. Hind tibia with short strong black spines.
Myolepta	Newman, 1838	Pegleg Fly	3	Front and middle femora with short strong spines near the apex.
Neoascia	Williston, 1886	Fen Fly	3	Small flies with petiolate abdomen, M1 forming a right angle with R4+5.
Orthonevra	Macquart, 1829	Mucksucker Fly	4	flagellum at least twice as long as wide. Eyes with horizontal or meandering lines.
Sphegina	Meigen, 1822	Pufftail Fly	9	Abdomen petiolate. Swollen hind femur with ventral spines.

• Chrysogaster antitheus (Walker, 1849) ^[1] The Short-haired Wrinklehead is a fairly common species.

• Chrysosyrphus latus ( (Loew, 1863) The Variable Wrinklehead is a rare species

Hammerschmidtia is a Holarctic Genus of hoverflies. The larvae are found in sap under the bark of downed trees.^[2] They appear quite unlike other syrphids, having drab colors and numerous bristles but on closer inspection they do have the general indicators of syrphids in a spurious vein.^[3]

• Hammerschmidtia rufa, The Black-bristled Logsitter is an uncommon species.
• Hammerschmidtia sedmani Pale-bristled Logsitter is a rare species in N.Y.

Three species of Myolepta occur in New York.^[3] Keys and descriptions of this species was made by Fluke and Weems in 1956.^[4] Larvae are described by Rotheray ^[5]

• Myolepta strigilata
• M. nigra
• M. varipes

Neoascia (Williston, 1886)^[6] Fen Flies These are very small (3.5–5 mm) black and yellow or metallic green flies with a narrow abdomen near the thorax. They occur mainly in damp places around plants. . Neoascia larvae have been recovered from wet manure in farmyards, and decaying vegetation at the edges of ponds.^[7] In 1925 Curran reviewed the Genus Neoascia ^[8]

• Neoascia metallica (Williston, 1882 )^[9] The Double-banded Fen Fly, is a common species.
• Neoascia tenur (Harris, 1780) ^[10] The Black-kneed Fen Fly is a common species that was formerly considered to be only European now considered to be throughout North America and Canada.^[11]
• Neoascia globosa (Walker, 1849)^[1] The Black-margined Fen Fly is a fairly common species.

Four species Orthonevra (Macquart, 1829) of these small dark metallic flies are found in New York. Sedman divided this genus into two groups, the pictipennis group ^[12] of which N.Y. has O. pictipennis, O. Weemsi and O. pulchella and the Bellula group ^[13] with O. nitida being found in N.Y. This genus is one of the few where the eyes are ornamented with either horizontal medial lines or meandering lines across the eye. Keys and descriptions have been provided by Sedman.^[12][13]

• Orthonevra nitida (Wiedemann, 1830)^[14] The Wavy mucksucker is a fairly common species.

• Orthonevra pictipennis (Loew, 1863) ^[15] Dusky-veined Mucksucker is an uncommon species.
• Orthonevra pulchella (Williston, 1887) ^[6] The Dusky Mucksucker is a fairly common species.
• Orthonevra weemsi (Sedman, 1966) ^[12] Weems' Mucksucker is a rare species.

These are distinctive small flies with a thin elongate abdomen and enlarged hind femur often with spines and or teeth. The larvae are found under bark in water soaked areas. Rotheray^[7] has described European species and habitats as well as a key to larvae including sphegina and other syrphid genera. Keys to adult American species was provided by Coovert.^[16] New York species can also be found southward especially in the Appalachian Mountains and also north to the New England States.
There are various keys online, Covert 1977^[16] Hull, 1935 ^[17] and Malloch, 1922 ^[18]

:{|class="wikitable"

|-! name !! authority !! common name!!prevalence |+ Sphegina (Meigen, 1822) |- |Sphegina brachygaster || Hull, 1935^[17] || Thick-waisted Pufftail || fairly common |- | Sphegina campanulata || Robertson, 1901^[19] ||Orange-horned Pufftail || fairly common |- |Sphegina flavimana || John Russell Malloch, 1922 ^[18] || Tuberculate Pufftail || fairly common |- |Sphegina flavomaculata|| John Russell Malloch, 1922 ^[18] || Tooth-legged Pufftail|| uncommon |- |Sphegina keeniana|| Williston, 1887 ^[6] || Peg-legged pufftail || fairly common |- |Sphegina lobata || Loew, 1863 ^[15] ||Yellow-lobed Pufftail || uncommon |- |Sphegina lobulifera || John Russell Malloch, 1922 ^[18] || Black-lobed Pufftail || uncommon |- |Sphegina petiolata|| Coquillett, 1910^[20] || Long-spined Pufftail || uncommon |- |Sphegina rufiventris|| Loew, 1910 ^[15] || Black-horned pufftail || common |- |}

Only one species of this tribe is found in New york in the genus Callicera (Panzer, 1809).

• Callicera erratica (Walker, 1849) ^[1] The Golden Pine Fly is a rare species.

Ceriana(Rafinesque, 1815) has but one species in New York.

• Ceriana abbreviata (Loew, 1864) ^[21] The Northern Wasp Fly

Sphiximorpha (Rondani, 1850) is represented by a single rare species in New York.

• Sphiximorpha willistoni (Kahl, 1897) ^[22] Williston's Wasp Fly is a rare species.

• Eristalinus aeneus (Scopoli, 1763) The Common Lagoon Fly is fairly common.

New York has an prevalence of Eristalids many of which are striking in color and exhibit mimicry to the bees. The larvae are of the rat-tailed type. Eristalis along with many sister species has the r4+5 vein making a distinct loop towards the rear of the wing.^[11]

Species list

• Palpada albifrons (Weidemann 1830) ^[14] The White-faced Plushback is a rare vagrant
• Palpada vinetorum (Fabricius 1799) The Northern Plushback is a fairly common species

Helophilina characteristics

Genus	Thorax	Abdomen	Hind tibia	Other
Notes	This table is confined to New York species.
Helophilus, key [23]	Longitudinal stripes	Abdomen oval, with large orange markings	variable	Stigma long
Anasimia, key ( as Lejops) [23]	Longitudinal stripes	narrow	variable
Polydontomyia, single species	not striped	slightly narrowed, black with solid yellow-orange behind, all brownish gray in female	arcuate and produced into a long apical spur
Mallota, key [24]	not striped, Thick pile	compact and thick pile	without long apical spur	bumblebee mimic
Parhelophilus, Key [25]	longitudinal stripes	compact	truncate at apex.	stigma short
Eurimyia, single species	longitudinal stripes	sawtooth yellow spots	without long apical spur, two black rings	face produced into an elongate cone

• Eurimyia stipata the Long-nosed Swamp Fly.^[23]

• Polydontomyia curvipes (Weidemann, 1830) ^[14] The Dimorphic Sickleleg is locally common along salt marshes.

Large flies that strongly resemble bumblebees. The larvae of, M. cimhiciformis (Fallen) and M. posticata (Fabricius) develop in detritus-containing rot pockets, usually wet tree holes in upright deciduous trees. ^[26]

• Mallota cimbiciformis, (Fallén, 1816) ^[27]
• Mallota bautias Walker 1849 ^[1] The Bare-eyed Mimic is a common species
• Mallota posticata, Fabricius 1805,^[28] The Hairy-eyed Mimic is a common species.

This tribe has only one genus

• Sericomyia chrysotoxoides (Macquart 1842) ^[29] The Oblique-banded Pond Fly is a common species.
• Sericomyia lata (Coquillett 1907) ^[30] The White-spotted Pond Fly is a common species.
• Sericomyia militaria (Walker, 1849) ^[1] The Narrow-banded Pond Fly is a common species.
• Sericomyia transversa (Osburn, 1926)^[31] The Yellow-spotted Pond Fly is an uncommon species.

• Eumerus funeralis (Meigen, 1822) ^[32] Lesser Bulb Fly is a fairly common species.
• Eumerus strigatus (Fallén, 1817) ^[27] Onion Bulb Fly is a fairly common species.

• Merodon equestris (Fabricius, 1794)^[33] The Narcissus Bulb Fly is a fairly common species.

This tribe contains 17 genera with 56 species found in New York

Genera table

name	authority	common name	# in N.Y.	Defining characteristics
Blera	Billberg, 1820	Wood Fly	7	distinct frontal prominence, face downward and forward
Brachypalpus	Macquart, 1834	Catkin Fly	1	triangular face, thorax with thick yellow pile
Chalcosyrphus	Curran, 1925	Leafwalker	10	slender abdomen, enlarged hind femur, often orange legs.
Criorhina	Meigen, 1822	Bumblefly	2	large bumblebee mimics.
Cynorhinella	Curran, 1922	Longnose Fly	1	small thin black fly with large conical face.
Hadromyia	Williston, 1882	Quicksilver Fly	1	black fly metallic patches on abdomen
Lejota	Wahlberg, 1843	Trunksitter Fly	2	all black fly with distinct frontal prominence and straight face.
Milesia	Latreille, 1804	Giant Flower Flies	1	large yellow and black yellowjacket mimic
Pterallastes	Loew, 1863	Goldenback Fly	1	large fly with bright golden thorax. .
Somula	Macquart, 1847	Wood Fly	1	large fly with distinct antennifer and bright yellow abdominal spots.
Sphecomyia	Latreille, 1829	Yellowjacket Fly	1	long antennae black and yellow striped abdomen.
Spilomyia	Meigen, 1803	Hornet Fly	4	vertical eye stripe, yellow and black thorax and abdomen.
Syritta	Linnaeus, 1758	Compost Fly	1	inflated hind femur with orange spots, abdomen with rounded spots
Temnostoma	Le Peletier & Serville	Falsehorn Fly	7	yellow stripe along transverse suture, abdomen with one or two stripes on each segment.
Teuchocnemis	Osten Sacken, 1876	Spur Fly	2	males with large spur on hind tibia
Tropidia	Meigen, 1822	Thickleg Fly	3	hind femur enlarged with triangular shaped process ventrally
Xylota	Meigen, 1822	Leafwalker	11	slender abdomen, enlarged hind femur, abdomen black or with yellow spots.

• Brachypalpus oarus (Walker, 1849) ^[1] The Eastern Catkin Fly is a fairly common species.

• Criorhina verbosa (Walker, 1849) ^[1] The Hairy-cheeked Bumble Fly is an uncommon species.
• Criorhina nigriventris (Walton, 1911) ^[34] The Bare-cheeked Bumble Fly is an uncommon species.

Cynorhinella (Curran, 1922) is a rare genus in New York with a single species.

• Cynorhinella longinasus (Shannon, 1924) ^[35] The Eastern Longnose Fly is a rare species.

Hadromyia (Williston, 1882) a single species in New York

• Hadromyia aepalius (Walker, 1849) ^[1] Sterling Quicksilver Fly is a rare species.

Lejota (Róndani, 1857) has two uncommon species in New York.

• Lejota aerea (Loew 1872) ^[36] The Golden Trunksitter is an uncommon species
• Lejota cyanea (Smith 1912) ^[37] The Cobalt Trunksitter is an uncommon species.

Milesia (Latreille, 1804) represented by a single, vivid species.

• Milesia virginiensis (Drury, 1773) The Virginia Giant is an uncommon species.

Pterallastes (Loew, 1863)

• Pterallastes thoracicus (Loew 1863) ^[15] The Goldenback Fly is an uncommon species.

Somula (Macquart, 1847) has only two species worldwide, with one in New York.

• Somula decora (Macquart, 1847)^[38] The Spotted Wood Fly is an uncommon species.

Sphecomyia Latreille, 1829 is a genus of wasp mimics with one species found in New York.

• Sphecomyia vittata (Wiedemann, 1830) ^[14] The Long-horned Yellowjacket is an uncommon species.

Many species in Spilomyia are wasp mimics with black and yellow patterns and using the black front legs to imitate the wasp antennae. ^[39] The eyes on Spilomyia species are a distinctive characteristic which usually display vertical, and irregular stripes or blotches.^[40]

• Spilomyia alcimus (Walker 1849) ^[1] Broad-banded Hornet Fly is an uncommon species.
• Spilomyia fusca (Loew 1864) ^[21] Bald-faced Hornet Fly is a fairly common species.
• Spilomyia longicornis (Loew 1872) ^[36] Eastern Hornet Fly is an uncommon species
• Spilomyia sayi (Goot, 1964) Four-lined Hornet Fly is a fairly common species.

• Syritta pipiens (Linnaeus, 1758 ) The Common Compost Fly is a very common species.

Teuchocnemis (Osten-Sacken, 1876) species are more commonly found south of New York.

• Teuchocnemis bacuntius (Walker, 1849) ^[1] The Orange Spur Fly is a rare species.
• Teuchocnemis lituratus (Loew, 1863) ^[15] The Black Spur Fly is an uncommon species.

• Tropidia albistylum (Macquart, 1847) ^[38] The Yellow-thighed Thickleg Fly is a rare species
• Tropidia calcarata (Williston, 1887) ^[6] The Lily-loving Thickleg Fly is a rare species.
• Tropidia quadrata (Say, 1824) ^[41]The Common Thickleg Fly is a common species.

This tribe contains 5 genera and 8 species found in New York State

Genera table

Genus	authority	common name	# in N.Y.	Defining characteristics
Cheilosia	Meigen, 1822[	blacklet	4 *	Small black flies with grooves along margin of face below the antennae. The face is distinctly tuberculate with a notched oral cavity.
Ferdinandea	(Loew, 1863	Copperback	1	striped scutum, bristles on scutum and scutellum
Hiatomyia	Shannon, 1922	Deltawing	1	small black flies with bare eyes and plumose arista
Pelecocera	(Meigen, 1822	Bighorn Fly	1	Small flies with an elongate abdomen, flagellum terminal style with an enlarged base
Rhingia	Scopoli, 1763	Snout Fly	1	very long, forward directed snout and a black with large yellow spotted abdomen.
				* additional species of cheilosia are likely to be found in New York.

This is a very large genus of little black flies with larvae feeding on plants or fungi.

Species observed in New York

• Cheilosia latrans
• Cheilosia orilliaensis
• Cheilosia pallipes
• Cheilosia prima

Species observed next to New York

• Cheilosia albitarsis
• Cheilosia caltha
• Cheilosia capillata
• Cheilosia rita
• Cheilosia shannoni

Ferdinandea (Róndani, 1844) has a single species in New York with a second species, Ferdinandea croesus, reported but the identity is not confirmed.^[11]

• Ferdinandea buccata (Loew, 1863) ^[15] The Common Copperback a fairly common species.

• Hiatomyia cyanescens (Hunter, 1896) no page The Azure Deltawing an uncommon species.

Pelecocera (Meigen, 1822) ^[32] only reported from Long Island but may be more common as the small size and habit of staying in low lying flowers may make this fly under-reported.

• Pelecocera pergandei.(Williston, 1884) The Eastern Bighorn Fly is a very rare species.

Rhingia(Scopoli, 1763) has only one species in North America.

• Rhingia nasica (Say, 1823) The American Snout Fly is a common species.

Copestylum (Macquart, 1846) due to the larval habit of living in Bromeliads only one species is found in New York.

• Copestylum vittatum Tropical Plushback The Striped Bromeliad Fly is an uncommon species.

Volucella (Geoffroy, 1762) has two species that represent some of the best bumblebee mimics in New York. The larvae of most species live in nests of bumblebees and social wasps, where they are detritivores and larval predators.^[42]

• Volucella evecta (Walker, 1852) The Eastern Swiftwing is an uncommon species.
• Volucella facialis (Linnaeus, 1758) The Yellow-faced Swiftwing is a fairly common species.

This is the newest subfamily and the smallest in New York. The adult fly looks very much like the flies in Eristalinae while the larvae are predators much like the subfamily Syrphinae.^[43] The DNA evidence has been evaluated and concluded that Pipizinae are a sister subfamily to these subfamilies.^[44]

• Heringia calcarata (Loew, 1866) ^[45] Opaque Spikeleg Fly
• Heringia canadensis, Curran, 1921, The Canadian Smoothleg Fly is a fairly common species
• Heringia salax, Loew, 1866 ^[45] The Eastern Smoothleg Fly is a fairly common species
• Heringia coxalis (Curran, 1921) White-faced Spikeleg Fly
• Heringia elongata (Curran, 1921) Elongate Spikeleg Fly
• Heringia rita (Curran, 1921) Black-faced Spikeleg Fly

Pipiza (Fallén, 1810) is a genus of small nearly all black flies sometimes with yellow abdominal spots. The larvae, when known, feed upon gall making or leaf rolling aphids. Pipizini. The larvae of Pipiza species (fig. 257) seem to prefer aphids which secrete a waxy flocculence, e.g. woolly aphid (Eriosoma). Pipizella larvae confine their attention to subterranean aphids feeding on the roots of plants.

• Pipiza femoralis (Loew, 1866)^[45] The White-haired Pithead Fly
• Pipiza macrofemoralis (Curran, 1921) The Large-legged Pithead Fly is an uncommon species in New York
• Pipiza nigripilosa (Williston, 1887) The Pale-haired Pithead Fly is a common species.
• Pipiza puella (Williston, 1887) The Sumac Gall Pithead Fly is a common species.
• Pipiza quadrimaculata (Panzer, 1804) The Four-spotted Pithead Fly is a fairly common species.

Trichopsomyia (Williston, 1888) is another genus of small black flies that may easily be overlooked. Pipizella larvae confine their attention to subterranean aphids feeding on the roots of plants.

• Trichopsomyia apisaon (Walker, 1849) ^[1] The Black-haired Psyllid-killer
• Trichopsomyia recedens (Walker, 1852) The Shadowy Psyllid-killer