SYRPHID/E: FLOWER FLIES 



segment; the head is more or less spherical and loosely 

 fastened. The body is heavier than that of a Chironomid 

 and almost never metallic like the Dolichopodids; and the 

 legs, especially the first pair, are often curiously modified. 

 The adults are predaceous, as are probably also the larvae, 

 which live in decaying vegetable matter and in running 

 streams. 



PHORID^E 



These minute flies would probably not be noticed unless 

 you were looking for them, although they are sometimes 

 to be found on windows. The life histories are varied, 

 but those of the dwellers in ant-nests are probably the 

 most interesting. Apocephalus larvae live inside the head 

 of an adult ant; the Larva? of Metopina padiycondyla curl 

 themselves around the neck of ant larvae and share the 

 food which the ants bring to their larvae. 



We now start the division CYCLORRAPHA (see p. 230) ; 

 the last of the three joints of the antenna is not ringed or 

 complex and always bears an arista; the third longitudinal 

 wing-vein is never branched, and there are never more 

 than three complete posterior cells. 



SYRPHID^ 



This family is one of the -richest in species of all Diptera. 

 A characteristic of the Syrphids is a "false vein" in the 

 wing between, and more or less parallel to, the third 

 and fourth longitudinal veins. The adults are so frequently 

 seen feeding on nectar and pollen that they are called 

 Flower Flies. Some are almost bare and resemble wasps 

 in appearance and manner of flying; others are hairy and 

 resemble bees, even in the droning or buzzing noise they 

 make; but all are quite harmless. 



For the Northeast, at least, the following key will serve 

 to identify most of the common genera, if carefully used. 

 i. Antennae with a terminal style. First two antennal 

 joints elongated; wasp-like: Ceria. These joints short: 

 Pelecocera (about .4 in. long; eyes bare ) and Callicerd 

 (larger; eyes pilose). 



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