Africa Wild Insect Book Flies (Diptera)

[BluTuna]

Long-legged Fly possibly Condylostylus sp.
Family: Dolichopodidae. Subfamily: Sciapodinae

© BluTuna
Garden in Johannesburg

Dolichopodidae, the long-legged flies, are generally small flies with large, prominent eyes and a metallic cast to their appearance. Most have long legs. The adults are predatory on other small animals.

The genus Condylostylus is a wide spread pantropical taxon. It contains approximately 308 described species. Twelve species of the genus occur throughout su-Saharan Africa. Species recorded from South Africa are: C. angustipennnis, C. congensis, C. degener, C. imitator, C. pateraeformis.

Links: Afrotropical species of the genus Condylostylus Bigot

[BluTuna]

Thick-legged Syrphid Fly sp Syritta sp.
Family: Syrphidae. Subfamily: Eristalinae. Tribe Milesini

© BluTuna
Garden in Johannesburg

Syritta hoverflies are sometimes called the thick-legged hoverflies, from the distinctive broad hind femora.
The genus Syritta is easily recognized by the unique arrangement of setae on the hind femur. There are three separate rows of setae: in the middle a row of about 18 to 28 short black setula; anterior row of 3 to 7 longer, black setae ; posterior row of 3 to 6 longer, black or white setae.

Links: Checklist Syrphidae of South Africa

[Toko]

Nose Fly Stomorhina sp.
Superfamily Oestroidea. Family Rhiniidae.



© BluTuna
Kruger National Park

[BluTuna]

Jackal Fly
Family: Milichiidae

© BluTuna

© BluTuna
Garden in Johannesburg

The family contains about 347 species in 18 genera and is worldwide in distribution. They are at least 13 species in the region of South Africa. The behavior of several species of Milichiidae is very specialized. An interesting feature of Milichiidae behavior is kleptoparasitism or commensalism. Species of several genera suck at the prey of insects (mantids, wasps, robber flies, assassin bugs) or crab spiders. In almost all cases it is only the females that are kleptoparasitic. In some cases a close association between milichiid and predator has been postulated, because it was observed that the fly "rides" on the predator for some time.

Milichiidae are generally small to minute flies (wingspan 2-4 mm), black, best recognized in the field by their unusual habit ol loitering around kills made by other arthropods. The eyes of Milichiidae are often red. The proboscis is fairly long in most species, but this is not obvious because it holds it inconspicuously beneath the head when the animal is not feeding. Under the microscope, very long and folded mouth parts are visible.

[BluTuna]

Porcupine Fly, Hedgehog Fly Dejeania sp., possibly Dejeania bombylans
Family: Tachinidae

© BluTuna

© BluTuna
Garden in Johannesburg

All species of the genus Dejeania have an inflated abdomen armed with very prominent spines and bristles, and unpatterned wings.

Description
D. bombylans is robust (wingspan 16-24 mm) with yellow and brown abdomen (dark patches on the top). Base of wings yellowish.

Distribution
Widespread African species.

Habitat
Woodland. Broad-leaved herbs and grasses in the shade of bushveld trees.

Dejeania bombylans is a specialist predator of bollworms and parasitises their eggs.

[BluTuna]

Hoverfly Allograpta calopoides
Family: Syrphidae. Subfamily: Syrphinae

© BluTuna
Male

© BluTuna
Garden in Johannesburg


Links:
https://digitallibrary.amnh.org/bitstre ... sequence=1
https://www.zfmk.de/dateien/atoms/files/allograpta.pdf
http://v3.boldsystems.org/index.php/Tax ... xid=386085
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/230736558.pdf

[BluTuna]

Hoverfly Possibly Episyrphus sp.
Family: Syrphidae. Subfamily: Syrphinae. Tribe: Syrphini

© BluTuna
Garden in Johannesburg

This hover fly resembles Asarkina in shape and coloration, having a flat yellow abdomen with traverse black bands, but the thorax should have one brown broad median stripe in Asarkina.
Some Episyrphus species however have a black mesonotum with narrow submedian and/or sublateral stripes.


© BluTuna
Garden in Johannesburg

Links:
https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA03040798_646
http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/fl ... /index.htm
https://eol.org/pages/751474
https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... 20flies%20(Diptera%3A%20Syrphidae,the%20subfamily%20Syrphinae%20is%20given.

[Toko]

Thick-legged Hoverfly Syritta sp. possibly Syritta latitarsata
Family: Syrphidae. Subfamily: Syrphinae. Tribe: Syrphini



© BluTuna

© BluTuna
Johannesburg

The genus Syritta is easily recognized by the unique enlarged hind femur.

Description
7–9 mm. Vena spuria absent. Hind femora anteroventrally without a tooth-like process. Hind tarsomeres dilated and broadened.

Similar species: Syritta fasciata: http://v3.boldsystems.org/index.php/Tax ... xid=386025

Distribution
Afrotropical region.

Links:
http://www.syrphidae.com/checklist.php?country=ZA
https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... 4/download

[BluTuna]

Nose Fly Rhinia apicalis
Superfamily Oestroidea. Family Rhiniidae. Subfamily Rhiniinae

© BluTuna

© BluTuna

© BluTuna
Garden in Johannesburg

Description
Small blowfly of 5-7.5 mm length.
Abdomen orange, setulae, however, arising from dark spots. Thoracic squama bare above. Subcostal scelerite with fine pubescence. Infra-alar bulla bare. Apical R5 cell closed and petiolate. Sternopleuron glossy, largely shining black. Legs yellow, tergite 1+2 with a row of marginal bristles.

Distribution
A pantropical species, it is distributed widely in Africa, through Middle East to Asia, Pacific islands and Australia.

© ExFmem
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Links:
https://www.gbif.org/species/1567648

[BluTuna]

Egyptian Hoverfly Ischiodon aegyptius
Family: Syrphidae. Subfamily: Syrphinae. Tribe: Syrphini

© BluTuna

© BluTuna
Male. Garden in Johannesburg

© ExFmem
Female, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park


Female, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Mata Mata © ExFmem

Hoverflies in the subfamily Syrphinae are from small to medium in size. They have slender body and short antenna. Most of them mimic small bees or warps with yellow and black bands on abdomen.
Along with bees and butterflies, hover flies are also avid pollinators of flowers. They rely on visual and olfactory cues to locate suitable flowers. Adult hover flies in the subfamily Syrphinae have been recorded to feed on nectar and pollen in flowers, and honeydew synthesised by aphids. Pollen in particular is crucial for ovary development in female hover flies.

Description
The face is yellow-coloured and eyes are bare. For females, the eyes are separated in the middle while for males, the eyes meet together. The thorax is black with yellow streaks at the lateral sides. The scutellum is yellow and slightly brownish on the disc. The abdomen is elongated, with the areas in black becoming yellowish or reddish towards the abdominal end.

Differential diagnosis: Very common species in the Afrotropical region with yellow markings on abdomen reaching the lateral margins. Males
have metatrochanters with a long calcar and the claws of the fore leg are asymmetrical. Females are more difficult to distinguish as the pattern of tergite 2 is variable. Conspecific males and locality may help to distinguish them.

Distribution
Ischiodon aegyptius is widely distributed from Southern Africa to the Mediterranean region.

Links:
https://www.zfmk.de/dateien/dokumente/2 ... hiodon.pdf
https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.ne ... nload/pdf/
http://www.syrphidae.com/checklist.php?country=ZA