fly ID?

[Norlin]

I have a bunch of these flies buzzing around my pile of spent malt and hops in the backyard (the waste products of beer brewing). My L3 Idolos are crazy for these things as the flies are quite restless and fly around a ton, they also have a very hovering type of flight pattern which seems to make them easy to catch as well. (There was also a lone soldier fly that was buzzing around the pile that I caught).

These flies are longer than a BB but much smaller than a soldier fly. I'd say they come in around 1/2 to 3/4 inch in length. Anyone know what they are? I want to perhaps give a shot of scooping up some of the waste pile and breeding them in it as they're an awesome feeder fly. The BBs and even HFs are much more lethargic preferring just to sit around most of the day, these flies don't seem to be able to sit still for more than a few seconds before taking off again.

Note in this picture, he's beating his wings super fast so they don't show up, they generate quite a lot of wind with those wings.

 

[agent A]

looks like a robber fly

 

[Norlin]

looking at robber flies on google, it doesn't have that hump back that I see in the images, nor is it in any way furry. I'll have to see about getting a side picture of one at home tonight if we can't figure out what it is by then.

 

[Norlin]

after browsing around bugguide.net for a while I think it is

Ptecticus trivittatus

Now to see if I can find any more info on it

 

[Norlin]

hrm, maybe not, found a site saying that's a yellow soldier fly and it's generally around 6-7mm whereas my fly is much longer than that.

 

[aNisip]

Some species of hoverfly...robber flies are much larger and darker...

 

[Crazy4mantis]

if they hover, a hoverfly. the hoverflies around here mimic bees and sit on flowers, and they are 1/4 in. max. can't tell what yours are.

 

[aNisip]

I have several species of hoverflies, the ones in the picture and also ones that mimic bees.

 

[Rick]

www.bugguide.net

 

[eyes]

Can you get a better picture of the wings and antennae?

It does have a robber fly type of shape. It should be easy to identify as a robber fly or not because they have a short strong proboscis that they use to impale other insects. If that's not there then it's not a robber fly.

 

[Peter Clausen]

I vote syrphidae family hover fly. If you can take a photo of a dead one where the abdomen is not obscured by beating wings and the antennae are not moving, that might be helpful. Also, the light may not be quite right. Does it have a metallic appearance on the thorax section behind the head/just before where the wings begin?

Robber flies can be in that size range, but often look a bit more hairy.

 

[Norlin]

Here are a few angles on a freezer killed fly, note that when alive the legs are spread out and the wings get folded straight back to lie parallel with the abdomen.

 

[jrh3]

Those are Drunk flies, lol.