Eristalis
Encyclopedia
Eristalis is a large genus of hoverflies
, family Syrphidae, in the order Diptera
. One of the more common species in the genus, Eristalis tenax
is also known as the dronefly, because it bears a superficial resemblance to honeybee drones
. Droneflies and their relatives are fairly common generalist pollinator
s, the larvae of which are aquatic, and breathe through a long, snorkel
-like appendage, hence the common name rat-tailed maggots.
Eristalis is a large genus of around 99 species, and is subdivided into several subgenera and species groups (Eristalomyia, Eristalis, Eoseristalis etc.).
Hoverfly
Hoverflies, sometimes called flower flies or syrphid flies, make up the insect family Syrphidae. As their common name suggests, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults of many species feed mainly on nectar and pollen, while the larvae eat a wide range of foods...
, family Syrphidae, in the order Diptera
Diptera
Diptera , or true flies, is the order of insects possessing only a single pair of wings on the mesothorax; the metathorax bears a pair of drumstick like structures called the halteres, the remnants of the hind wings. It is a large order, containing an estimated 240,000 species, although under half...
. One of the more common species in the genus, Eristalis tenax
Eristalis tenax
Eristalis tenax is a European hoverfly, also known as the drone fly . It has been introduced into North America and is widely established....
is also known as the dronefly, because it bears a superficial resemblance to honeybee drones
Drone (bee)
Drones are male honey bees. They develop from eggs that have not been fertilized, and they cannot sting, since the worker bee's stinger is a modified ovipositor .-Etymology:...
. Droneflies and their relatives are fairly common generalist pollinator
Pollinator
A pollinator is the biotic agent that moves pollen from the male anthers of a flower to the female stigma of a flower to accomplish fertilization or syngamy of the female gamete in the ovule of the flower by the male gamete from the pollen grain...
s, the larvae of which are aquatic, and breathe through a long, snorkel
Snorkeling
Snorkeling is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped tube called a snorkel, and usually swimfins. In cooler waters, a wetsuit may also be worn...
-like appendage, hence the common name rat-tailed maggots.
Eristalis is a large genus of around 99 species, and is subdivided into several subgenera and species groups (Eristalomyia, Eristalis, Eoseristalis etc.).
Species List
- Eristalis abusivaEristalis abusivaEristalis abusiva is a European species of hoverfly. it is somewhat similar to Eristalis arbustorum....
CollinJames Edward CollinJames Edward Collin was an English entomologist who specialised in Diptera.He was the author of Empididae. British Flies, Volume 6. University Press, Cambridge...
, 1931 - Eristalis alleni (Paul Allen's Flower FlyPaul Allen's flower flyPaul Allen's flower fly is a flower fly found only in Costa Rican forest in the central highlands. It was named after Paul Allen...
) Thompson, 1997 - Eristalis alpina (PanzerGeorg Wolfgang Franz PanzerGeorg Wolfgang Franz Panzer was a German botanist and entomologist.He was born at Etzelwang in the Palatinate and died at Hersbruck, near Nuremberg.A physician, he practised at Hersbruck...
, 1798) - Eristalis anthophorina (FallénCarl Fredrik FallénCarl Fredrik Fallén was a Swedish botanist and entomologist.Fallén taught at the Lund University. He wrote Diptera Sueciae .In 1817, Fallen discovered the Muscina stabulans species of flies....
, 1817) - Eristalis arbustorumEristalis arbustorumEristalis arbustorum is a European species of hoverfly. The size of the coloured patches on the abdomen varies with larval rearing temperature, as does wing length. They are attracted to the flowers of cow parsley, common hogweed, creeping thistle and knapweed....
(LinnaeusCarolus LinnaeusCarl Linnaeus , also known after his ennoblement as , was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature. He is known as the father of modern taxonomy, and is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology...
1758Systema NaturaeThe book was one of the major works of the Swedish botanist, zoologist and physician Carolus Linnaeus. The first edition was published in 1735...
) - Eristalis bardus (SayThomas SayThomas Say was an American naturalist, entomologist, malacologist, herpetologist and carcinologist. A taxonomist, he is often considered to be the father of descriptive entomology in the United States. He described more than 1,000 new species of beetles and over 400 species of insects of other...
, 1829) - Eristalis bellardii Jeannicke, 1867)
- Eristalis bogotensis MacquartJustin Pierre Marie MacquartJustin Pierre Marie Macquart was a French entomologist specialising in the study of Diptera. He worked on world species as well as European and described many new species.-Early years:...
, 1842 - Eristalis brousii Williston, 1882
- Eristalis calida WalkerFrancis Walker (entomologist)Francis Walker was an English entomologist. He was one of the most prolific authors in entomology, and stirred controversy during his later life as his publications resulted in a huge number of junior synonyms....
, 1849 - Eristalis cerealis FabriciusJohan Christian FabriciusJohan Christian Fabricius was a Danish zoologist, specialising in "Insecta", which at that time included all arthropods: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and others...
, 1805 - Eristalis circe Williston, 1891
- Eristalis corymbus Violovitsh, 1975
- Eristalis croceimaculata Jacobs, 1900
- Eristalis cryptarumEristalis cryptarumEristalis cryptarum is a European species of hoverfly. Known as the bog hoverfly, it only lives in and around wet heathland and valley mires. Its larvae are assumed to live in peat that is saturated with water, such as that found in these boggy areas.The hoverfly has a wide distribution across...
(FabriciusJohan Christian FabriciusJohan Christian Fabricius was a Danish zoologist, specialising in "Insecta", which at that time included all arthropods: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and others...
, 1794) - Eristalis deserta Violovitsh, 1977
- Eristalis dimidiatus (WiedemannChristian Rudolph Wilhelm WiedemannChristian Rudolph Wilhelm Wiedemann , was a German physician, historian, naturalist and entomologist...
, 1830) - Eristalis dubia MacquartJustin Pierre Marie MacquartJustin Pierre Marie Macquart was a French entomologist specialising in the study of Diptera. He worked on world species as well as European and described many new species.-Early years:...
, 1834 - Eristalis fenestratus de Meijere, 1908
- Eristalis flavipes WalkerFrancis Walker (entomologist)Francis Walker was an English entomologist. He was one of the most prolific authors in entomology, and stirred controversy during his later life as his publications resulted in a huge number of junior synonyms....
, 1849 - Eristalis fratercula (ZetterstedtJohan Wilhelm ZetterstedtJohan Wilhelm Zetterstedt was a Swedish naturalist who worked mainly on Diptera and Hymenoptera.-Biography:Zetterstedt studied at the University of Lund, where he was a pupil of Anders Jahan Retzius. He received the title of professor in 1822 and succeeded Carl Adolph Agardh as professor of botany...
, 1838) - Eristalis gatesi (Bill Gates' Flower FlyBill Gates' flower flyBill Gates' flower fly is a flower fly found only in Costa Rican high montane cloud forests and named after Bill Gates...
) Thompson, 1997 - Eristalis gomonojunovae Violovitsh, 1977
- Eristalis hirta LoewHermann LoewFriedrich Hermann Loew was a German entomologist who specialised in the study of Diptera, an order of insects including flies, mosquitoes, gnats and midges...
, 1866 - Eristalis horticolaEristalis horticolaEristalis horticola is a European species of hoverfly. The name horticola is in some doubt and an ICZN decision is required....
(De GeerCharles De GeerBaron Charles de Geer was a Swedish industrialist and entomologist.- Life :...
, 1776) - Eristalis interruptusEristalis interruptusEristalis interruptus is a European species of hoverfly.-Biology:The larvae are aquatic, and of the Rat-tailed maggot type. Adults are often seen visiting flowers. Flight period in the United Kingdom is from April to October, peaking around July and August....
(PodaNikolaus Poda von NeuhausNikolaus Poda von Neuhaus was an Austrian entomologist born in Vienna.Von Neuhaus was the author of Insecta Musei Graecensis , the first purely entomological work to follow the binomial nomenclature of Carolus Linnaeus.-External links:**...
, 1761) - Eristalis intricariusEristalis intricariusEristalis intricarius is a European species of hoverfly. It is a furry bee mimic, superficially resembling Merodon, though Merodon have all black leg tibiae, as opposed to partly yellow. E. intricarius is somewhat variable in colour pattern, and some attempts at naming varieties have been...
(LinnaeusCarolus LinnaeusCarl Linnaeus , also known after his ennoblement as , was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature. He is known as the father of modern taxonomy, and is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology...
1758Systema NaturaeThe book was one of the major works of the Swedish botanist, zoologist and physician Carolus Linnaeus. The first edition was published in 1735...
) - Eristalis japonica van der Goot, 1964
- Eristalis jugorumEristalis jugorumEristalis jugorum is a European species of hoverfly....
Egger, 1858 - Eristalis kamtshatica Violovitsh, 1977
- Eristalis latifrons ZetterstedtJohan Wilhelm ZetterstedtJohan Wilhelm Zetterstedt was a Swedish naturalist who worked mainly on Diptera and Hymenoptera.-Biography:Zetterstedt studied at the University of Lund, where he was a pupil of Anders Jahan Retzius. He received the title of professor in 1822 and succeeded Carl Adolph Agardh as professor of botany...
, 1843
- Eristalis lineata (HarrisMoses HarrisMoses Harris was an English entomologist and engraver.In the Natural System of Colours he examined the work of Isaac Newton and tried to reveal the multitude of colours which can be created from three basic ones...
, 1776) - Eristalis lunata de Meijere, 1908, 1776
- Eristalis marfax Curran, 1947
- Eristalis nemorum (LinnaeusCarolus LinnaeusCarl Linnaeus , also known after his ennoblement as , was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature. He is known as the father of modern taxonomy, and is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology...
1758Systema NaturaeThe book was one of the major works of the Swedish botanist, zoologist and physician Carolus Linnaeus. The first edition was published in 1735...
) - Eristalis obscura (LoewHermann LoewFriedrich Hermann Loew was a German entomologist who specialised in the study of Diptera, an order of insects including flies, mosquitoes, gnats and midges...
, 1866) - Eristalis oestracea (LinnaeusCarolus LinnaeusCarl Linnaeus , also known after his ennoblement as , was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature. He is known as the father of modern taxonomy, and is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology...
1758Systema NaturaeThe book was one of the major works of the Swedish botanist, zoologist and physician Carolus Linnaeus. The first edition was published in 1735...
) - Eristalis pacifica Violovitsh, 1977
- Eristalis pertinaxEristalis pertinaxEristalis pertinax is a European hoverfly, also known as the drone fly. Like Eristalis tenax, the larva of E. pertinax is a rat-tailed maggot and lives in drainage ditches, pools around manure piles, sewage, and similar places containing water badly polluted with organic matter....
(ScopoliGiovanni Antonio ScopoliGiovanni Antonio Scopoli was an Italian physician and naturalist.-Biography:...
, 1763) - Eristalis persa Williston, 1891
- Eristalis picea (FallénCarl Fredrik FallénCarl Fredrik Fallén was a Swedish botanist and entomologist.Fallén taught at the Lund University. He wrote Diptera Sueciae .In 1817, Fallen discovered the Muscina stabulans species of flies....
, 1817) - Eristalis pratorum MeigenJohann Wilhelm MeigenJohann Wilhelm Meigen was a German entomologist famous for his pioneering work on Diptera.-Early years:Meigen was born in Solingen, the fifth of eight children of Johann Clemens Meigen and Sibylla Margaretha Bick. His parents, though not poor, were not wealthy either. The ran a small shop in...
, 1822 - Eristalis precipuus Williston, 1888
- Eristalis pseudorupium Kanervo, 1938
- Eristalis rabida Violovitsh, 1977
- Eristalis reflugens Doleschall, 1858
- Eristalis rossica Stackelberg 1958
- Eristalis rupiumEristalis rupiumEristalis rupium is a European species of hoverfly....
FabriciusJohan Christian FabriciusJohan Christian Fabricius was a Danish zoologist, specialising in "Insecta", which at that time included all arthropods: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and others...
, 1805 - Eristalis saphirina BigotJacques-Marie-Frangile BigotJacques Marie Frangile Bigot was a French naturalist and entomologist most noted for his studies of Diptera. Born in Paris, where he lived all his life, though he had a small house in Quincy-sous-Sénart, Essonne.He became a member of the Entomological Society of France in 1844. His first paper...
, 1880 - Eristalis saxorum WiedemannChristian Rudolph Wilhelm WiedemannChristian Rudolph Wilhelm Wiedemann , was a German physician, historian, naturalist and entomologist...
, 1830 - Eristalis semicirculus WalkerFrancis Walker (entomologist)Francis Walker was an English entomologist. He was one of the most prolific authors in entomology, and stirred controversy during his later life as his publications resulted in a huge number of junior synonyms....
, 1852 - Eristalis similisEristalis similisEristalis similis is a European species of hoverfly....
(FallénCarl Fredrik FallénCarl Fredrik Fallén was a Swedish botanist and entomologist.Fallén taught at the Lund University. He wrote Diptera Sueciae .In 1817, Fallen discovered the Muscina stabulans species of flies....
, 1817) - Eristalis stipator Osten SackenKarl Robert Osten-SackenBaron Karl-Robert von Osten-Sacken was a Russian diplomat and entomologist. He served as the Russian consul general in New York during the American Civil War, living in the United States from 1856 to 1877....
, 1877 - Eristalis tammensis Bagatshanova, 1980
- Eristalis tenaxEristalis tenaxEristalis tenax is a European hoverfly, also known as the drone fly . It has been introduced into North America and is widely established....
(Drone Fly) (LinnaeusCarolus LinnaeusCarl Linnaeus , also known after his ennoblement as , was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature. He is known as the father of modern taxonomy, and is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology...
1758Systema NaturaeThe book was one of the major works of the Swedish botanist, zoologist and physician Carolus Linnaeus. The first edition was published in 1735...
) - Eristalis tibetica Violovitsh, 1976
- Eristalis transversa (WiedemannChristian Rudolph Wilhelm WiedemannChristian Rudolph Wilhelm Wiedemann , was a German physician, historian, naturalist and entomologist...
, 1830) - Eristalis tricolor BigotJacques-Marie-Frangile BigotJacques Marie Frangile Bigot was a French naturalist and entomologist most noted for his studies of Diptera. Born in Paris, where he lived all his life, though he had a small house in Quincy-sous-Sénart, Essonne.He became a member of the Entomological Society of France in 1844. His first paper...
, 1880 - Eristalis tundrarum FreyHeinrich FreyHeinrich Frey was a German-born Swiss entomologist who studied Lepidoptera. He was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and died in Zurich, Switzerland.-Biography:...
, 1932 - Eristalis vallei (Kanervo, 1934)