Golden-Backed Snipe Fly
Here's an insect I met a couple months ago, the Golden-backed Snipe Fly. They're small enough to get overlooked by people, though they're almost certainly larger than the average fly. I think the yellow/gold thorax and striped abdomen makes them among our better-looking flies, and certainly makes them distinctive looking.
While some snipe flies bite large mammals (including us), the Golden-backed is believed to eat small arthropods like aphids. I doubt they're large or numerous enough to clear aphids off your milkweed plants, though every little bit helps.
This picture is probably of a male since the eyes are large and nearly touching. The females look similar but the eyes are smaller and further apart.
![]() |
May 28, 2021 at Duke Farms Photo 133215205, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) |
Comments
Post a Comment