Syrphid Fly
Toxomerus occidentalis, making more Toxomerus occidentalis
Syrphid Fly
Toxomerus occidentalis, making more Toxomerus occidentalis
Last Updated: January 28, 2012
DEFINITION:
Any of numerous two-winged insects of the order Diptera. True flies are generally described by two words, such as: Syrphid Fly, Soldier Fly, Robber Fly, Bluebottle Fly, Tachinid Fly. These are not to be confused with other insects that have "fly" in their name, such as: Butterfly, Dragonfly, Snakefly, Firefly. There are, however, true flies that do not contain "fly" in their name, such as: Mosquitoes, Gnats and Midges.
Many flies are wonderful mimics of bees and wasps, both in physical appearance and behavior. For example: Many Syrphid Flies mimic Yellowjackets, bees and wasps; some Robber Flies look very much like Bumblebees, and a whole family of flies are called Bee Flies, because so many actually resemble bees. Flies, however, have only one pair of wings, while bees and wasps have two pair - in flies, the second pair of wings have evolutionarily transformed into gyroscopic stabilizers, knobby organs called halteres, that assist in flight. Also, on flies you will see larger, more conspicuous eyes than on bees and wasps, and flies' antenna are short, as compared to the longer, more pronounced antenna of bees and wasps. From what I've seen, however, these mimics (and other flies as well) have a major commonality with their bee and wasp relatives; they're great pollinators.
PURPOSE:
This backyard Fly ID gallery has been created to assist visitors with identifying their fly visitors. As in every yard, there are a myriad different creatures to be found, and I've barely scratched the surface - I seem to be discovering new bugs and insects almost every day. As I find new species of flies, they will be added.
PHOTOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS AND DATES:
Currently, the fly identification on this page is specific to all flies that show up in and around my yard. These flies, however, are also found in many other parts of the country; some are found throughout North America.
Unless otherwise noted, all images were taken in Northern Douglas County, Oregon.
The date each photograph was taken appears under each thumbnail image. The sex of each specimen, if known, is also indicated under each thumbnail.
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06/24/09 |
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05/24/09 |
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07/17/10 |
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06/22/10 |
06/25/10 |
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08/20/09 |
05/08/09 |
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female 07/16/10 |
male 07/05/10 |
male 07/05/10 |
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female 08/11/09 |
female 07/05/10 |
male 07/15/08 |
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09/09/09 |
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05/24/09 |
05/24/09 |
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09/15/09 |
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08/19/08 |
09/30/08 |
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06/08/10 |
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03/14/10 |
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06/07/09 |
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male 05/11/09 |
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female 05/11/09 |
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female 06/14/10 |
female 06/14/10 |
male 06/29/09 |
male 06/29/09 |
male 06/29/09 |
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female 07/10/10 |
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female 06/27/09 |
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female 07/21/11 |
female 07/21/11 |
male 06/23/09 |
male 06/23/09 |
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female 05/08/09 |
female 05/08/09 |
male 06/25/10 |
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female 06/30/11 |
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female 06/26/09 |
female 06/26/09 |
male 06/13/10 |
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male 06/06/09 |
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female 05/11/09 |
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female 07/13/09 |
male 06/14/09 |
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female 06/11/09 |
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female 03/14/10 |
female 03/14/10 |
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female 10/01/08 |
female 10/01/09 |
male 08/06/09 |
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female 03/27/09 |
female 10/01/09 |
male 03/26/09 |
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female - as lunch for Misumena vatia 09/17/09 |
female - as lunch for Misumena vatia 09/17/09 |
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male 05/07/09 |
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female 07/11/09 |
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male 07/06/10 |
male 07/04/10 |
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female 07/13/10 |
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female 07/13/10 |
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female 09/12/10 |
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female 08/25/08 |
female 05/31/09 |
female, depositing eggs that look like thorns 05/24/11 |
male 09/18/09 |
male 09/18/09 |
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female, with Mecaphesa crab spider 07/04/08 |
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female 09/07/09 |
female 09/07/09 |
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female 05/11/09 |
female 05/11/09 |
female 06/11/09 |
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female 09/07/09 |
male 09/07/09 |
mating 05/07/09 |
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male 07/04/10 |
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female 09/22/10 |
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female 06/13/09 |
female 06/13/09 |
mating 07/04/10 |
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female 06/03/09 |
male 04/16/09 |
male 07/10/10 |
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mating pair 06/07/09 |
mating pair 06/07/09 |
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08/13/09 |
06/06/09 |
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07/26/09 |
07/26/09 |
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08/07/08 |
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mating pair 06/24/09 |
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male 07/12/10 |
male 07/12/10 |
mating pair 08/08/10 |
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07/19/09 |
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10/08/08 |
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09/09/09 |
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08/20/09 |
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04/16/09 |
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05/11/09 |
09/30/08 |
09/28/08 |
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06/12/10 |
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04/30/09 |
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04/11/09 |
06/30/09 |
08/23/09 |
06/24/09 |
07/27/09 |
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female 06/02/09 |
male 07/22/09 |
male 07/22/09 |
mating 07/06/09 |
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08/16/09 |
08/16/09 |
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07/09/09 |
06/22/10 |
05/29/10 |
05/11/09 |
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07/13/09 |
09/09/08 |
08/03/09 |
05/29/10 |
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07/27/08 |
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08/01/08 |
09/20/09 |
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07/19/08 |
07/30/08 |
09/02/08 |
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04/24/09 |
04/30/09 |
05/15/09 |
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08/04/10 |
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09/04/09 |
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08/04/09 |
07/26/09 |
08/04/09 |
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06/26/08 |
06/26/08 |
06/13/09 |
06/13/09 |
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06/12/09 |
06/14/10 |
06/14/10 |
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05/01/09 |
05/01/09 |
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08/23/09 |
08/23/09 |
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05/08/09 |
05/08/09 |
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08/20/09 |
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09/23/09 |
08/23/09 |
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07/20/09 |
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07/27/10 |
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mating 03/23/10 |
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female 05/07/09 |
male 05/08/09 |
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adult 07/07/08 |
larva 07/08/10 |
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07/10/10 |
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06/11/09 |
03/14/10 |
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male 07/08/10 |
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female 09/01/10 |
female 09/01/10 |
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07/29/10 |
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female 08/16/10 |
male 08/24/10 |
male 08/24/10 |
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09/02/10 |
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female 06/11/09 |
male 08/06/09 |
mating pair 06/23/09 |
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07/12/10 |
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07/06/10 |
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04/16/09 |
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male 07/27/09 |
female 04/04/10 |
female 04/04/10 |
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female 07/09/09 |
female 05/17/09 |
mating pair 05/31/09 |
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female 06/01/10 |
male 05/30/09 |
mating 06/12/10 |
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09/08/09 |
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female 07/16/10 |
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female 06/24/09 |
female 06/22/09 |
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male 10/24/09 |
male 09/22/10 |
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male 09/02/10 |
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female 07/06/10 |
male 06/06/09 |
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female 05/28/09 |
male 05/26/09 |
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09/26/10 |
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09/27/09 |
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06/21/09 |
06/21/09 |
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05/29/10 |
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06/23/09 |
06/23/09 |
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male 07/13/10 |
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08/08/09 |
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female 09/02/09 |
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04/20/09 |
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07/26/10 |
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with bee dinner 07/20/09 |
female 08/24/10 |
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08/16/09 |
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06/02/09 |
06/15/09 |
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female 06/06/09 |
male 06/10/09 |
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female 07/26/09 |
male 07/23/09 |
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07/16/08 |
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09/14/08 |
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07/04/10 |
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08/25/09 |
07/10/08 |
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07/07/09 |
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05/30/09 |
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female 04/16/09 |
male 04/24/09 |
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female 07/07/10 |
male 06/11/09 |
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07/31/09 |
07/31/09 |
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06/14/09 |
07/23/09 |
08/06/09 |
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06/07/09 |
06/07/09 |
06/07/09 |
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06/30/11 |
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female 06/04/11 |
male 05/24/11 |
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07/17/09 |
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female 03/14/09 |
male 04/04/09 |
mating, dinner is male March Fly 03/14/10 |
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06/16/10 |
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07/11/09 |
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07/01/08 |
07/07/10 |
Number of visitors to Flies since 03/06/08
Please note that due to the nature of the beast, Where Art Meets the Heart will evolve over time. Check back periodically to see what's new.
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