This checklist is organized taxonomic order. It is based on the recently published Field Guide to the Flower Flies of Northeastern North America. Page numbers refer to individual pages in the above checklist. Both scientific and common names are included. Common names can also be found at the Nearctic Syrphidae checklist of the Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes. Scientific names are the most current at the time of this checklist (May, 2019).
We are taking a different approach with this page. The species listed on this page are the ones identified by at least one dot on a map of Illinois in the above field guide. As we photograph, collect, and observe Syrphidae, we will update this page with photos. Over time, we expect this page to grow (and include species not listed below as we are in the range of a number of specis of Syrphidae based on the above field guide). We will try to also add the dates when we observe a given species (along with county information).
Order Diptera
Family SYRPHIDAE
- Subfamily Microdontinae
Microdon (Dimeraspis) abditus Thompson, 1981 Broad-footed Ant Fly [page 52]
- Subfamily Eristalinae
Helophilus fasciatus Walker, 1849 Narrow-headed Marsh Fly [Page 60]
Helophilus latifrons Loew, 1863 Broad-headed Marsh Fly [Page 60]
Parhelophilus laetus (Loew, 1963) Common Bog Fly [Page 70]
Eurimyia stipata (Walker, 1849) Long-nosed Swamp Fly [Page 74]
Anasimyia bilinearis (Williston, 1887) Two-lined Swamp Fly [Page 76]
Anasimyia anausis (Walker, 1849) Moon-shaped Swamp Fly [Page 78]
Anasimyia chrysostoma (Wiedemann, 1830) Lump-legged Swamp Fly [Page 80]
Pterallastes thoracicus Loew, 1863 Goldenback [Page 88]
Eristalinus (Lathyropthalmus) aeneus (Scopoli, 1763) Common Lagoon Fly [Page 92]
Mallota posticata (Fabricius, 1805) Hairy-eyed Mimic [Page 94]
Mallota bautias (Walker, 1849) Bare-eyed Mimic [Page 94]
Mallota illinoensis Robertson, 1901 Midwestern Mimic [Page 96]
Criorhina verbosa (Walker, 1849) Hairy-cheeked Bumblefly [Page 98]
Criorhina villosa (Bigot, 1882) Winter Bumblefly [Page 100]
Volucella evecta Walker, 1852 Eastern Swiftwing [Page 104]
Eristalis flavipes Walker, 1849 Orange-legged Drone Fly [Page 106]
Eristalis anthophorina (Fallén, 1817) Orange-spotted Drone Fly [Page 108]
Eristalis transversa Wiedemann, 1830 Transverse-banded Drone Fly [Page 108]
Eristalis tenax (Linnaeus, 1758) Common Drone Fly [Page 110]
Eristalis dimidiata Wiedemann, 1830 Black-shouldered Drone Fly [Page 112]
Eristalis stipator Osten Sacken, 1877 Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly [Page 112]
Eristalis arbustorum (Linnaeus, 1758) European Drone Fly [Page 114]
Eristalis brousii Williston, 1882 Hourglass Drone Fly [Page 114]
Palpada vinetorum (Fabricius, 1799) Northern Plushback [Page 120]
Copestylum (Phalacromya) vittatum Thompson, 1976 Striped Bromeliad Fly [Page 124]
Copestylum (Phalacromya) vesicularium (Curran, 1947) Irridescent Bromeliad Fly [Page 126]
Milesia virginiensis (Drury, 1773) Virginia Giant [Page 130]
Sphecomyia vittata (Wiedemann, 1830) Long-horned Yellowjacket Fly [Page 130]
Spilomyia sayi (Goot, 1964) Four-lined Hornet Fly [Page 132]
Spilomyia alcimus (Walker, 1849) Broad-banded Hornet Fly [Page 134]
Spilomyia longicornis Loew, 1872 Eastern Hornet Fly [Page 134]
Temnostoma balyras (Walker, 1849) Yellow-haired Falsehorn [Page 140]
Temnostoma trifasciatum Robertson, 1901 Three-lined Falsehorn [Page 140]
Temnostoma barberi Curran, 1939 Bare-bellied Falsehorn [Page 142]
Ceriana (Ceriana) abbreviata Loew, 1864 Northern Wasp Fly [Page 144]
Ceriana (Sphiximorpha) willistoni (Kahl, 1897) Williston’s Wasp Fly [Page 144]
Sericomyia chrysotoxoides Macquart, 1842 Oblique-banded Pond Fly [Page 150]
Somula decora Macquart, 1847 Spotted Wood Fly [Page 158]
Teuchocnemis lituratus (Loew, 1863) Black Spur Fly [Page 166]
Chalcosyrphus (Xylotomima) curvarius (Curran, 1941) Yellow-haltered Leafwalker [Page 172]
Chalcosyrphus (Xylotomima) chalybeus (Wiedemann, 1830) Violet Leafwalker [Page 172]
Chalcosyrphus (Xylotomima) nemorum (Fabricius, 1805) Dusky-banded Leafwalker [Page 176]
Chalcosyrphus (Xylotomima) metallicus (Wiedemann, 1830) Yellow-legged Leafwalker [Page 178]
Chalcosyrphus (Xylotomima) metallifer (Bigot, 1884) Orange-horned Leafwalker [Page 180]
Xylota quadrimaculata Loew, 1866 Four-spotted Leafwalker [Page 192]
Tropidia albistylum Macquart, 1847 Yellow-thighed Thickleg [Page 202]
Tropidia quadrata (Say, 1824) Common Thickleg [Page 202]
Tropidia mamillata Loew, 1861 Shiny Thickleg [Page 204]
Syritta pipiens (Linnaeus, 1758) Common Compost Fly [Page 206]
Rhingia nasica Say, 1823 American Snout Fly [Page 208]
Sphegina (Asiosphegina) rufiventris Loew, 1863 Black-horned Pufftail [Page 222]
Sphegina flavimana Malloch, 1922 Tuberculate Pufftail [Page 228]
Neoascia metallica (Williston, 1882) Double-banded Fen Fly [Page 232]
Eumerus funeralis Meigen, 1822 Lesser Bulb Fly [Page 238]
Myolepta nigra Loew, 1872 Black Spineleg [Page 242]
Myolepta strigilata Loew, 1872 Scaled Spineleg [Page 242]
Orthonevra nitida (Wiedemann, 1830) Wavy Mucksucker [Page 246]
Orthonevra pictipennis (Loew, 1863) Dusky-veined Mucksucker [Page 250]
Chrysogaster inflatifrons Shannon, 1916 Long-haired Wrinklehead [Page 254]
Lejota aerea (Loew, 1872) Golden Trunksitter [Page 258]
Cheilosia hunteri (Curran, 1922) Hunter’s Blacklet [Page 268]
Cheilosia orilliaenis (Curran, 1922) Hairy-striped Blacklet [Page 268]
Cheilosia cynoprosopa Hull & Fluke, 1950 Dark-faced Blacklet [Page 272]
Cheilosia comosa (Loew, 1863) Prairie Blacklet [Page 276]
- Subfamily Pipizinae
Heringia salax (Loew, 1866) Eastern Smoothleg [Page 292]
Neocnemodon trochanterata (Malloch, 1918) Rough-bellied Spikeleg [Page 298]
Neocnemodon pisticoides (Williston, 1887) Long-spined Spikeleg [Page 304]
Pipiza puella Williston, 1887 Sumac Gall Pithead [Page 312]
Pipiza femoralis Loew, 1866 White-haired Pithead [Page 314]
Trichopsomyia apisaon Walker, 1849 Black-haired Psyllid-killer [Page 316]
- Subfamily Syrphinae
Paragus (Pandasyopthalmus) haemorrhous Meigen, 1822 Black-backed Grass Skimmer [Page 324]
Paragus angustifrons Loew, 1863 Narrow-faced Grass Skimmer [Page 324]
Paragus angustistylus Vockeroth, 1986 Thin-spined Grass Skimmer [Page 324]
Paragus bispinosus Vockeroth, 1986 Two-spined Grass Skimmer [Page 325]
Melanostoma mellinum (Linnaeus, 1758) Variable Duskyface [Page 326]
Platycheirus obscurus (Say, 1824) Eastern Forest Sedgesitter [Page 330]
Platycheirus (Pyrophaena) granditarsis (Forster, 1771) Hornhand Sedgesitter [Page 332]
Platycheirus quadratus (Say, 1823) Meadow Sedgesitter [Page 334]
Platycheirus hyperboreus (Staeger, 1845) Pearly Sedgesitter [Page 340]
Ocyptamus fascipennis (Wiedemann, 1830) Eastern Band-winged Hover Fly [Page 376]
Ocyptamus fuscipennis (Say, 1823) Dusky-winged Hover Fly [Page 378]
Toxomerus marginatus (Say, 1823) Margined Calligrapher [Page 380]
Toxomerus politus (Say, 1823) Maize Calligrapher [Page 382]
Toxomerus geminatus (Say, 1823) Eastern Calligrapher [Page 384]
Toxomerus jussiaeae Vige, 1939 Orange-backed Calligrapher [Page 386]
Allograpta obliqua (Say, 1823) Oblique Streaktail [Page 388]
Sphaerophoria contigua Macquart, 1847 Tufted Globetail [Page 392]
Sphaerophoria philanthus (Meigen, 1822) Black-footed Globetail [Page 398]
Xanthogramma flavipes (Loew, 1863) American Harlequin [Page 402]
Eupeodes perplexus (Osburn, 1910) Bare-winged Aphideater [Page 426]
Eupeodes americanus (Wiedemann, 1830) Long-tailed Aphideater [Page 432]
Eupeodes pomus (Curran, 1921) Short-tailed Aphideater [Page 432]
Epistrophella emarginata (Say, 1823) Slender Smoothtail [Page 440]
Syrphus torvus Osten Sacken, 1875 Hairy-eyed Flower Fly [Page 442]
Syrphus ribesii (Linnaeus, 1758) Common Flower Fly [Page 444]
Syrphus vitripennis Meigen, 1822 Black-legged Flower Fly [Page 446]
Syrphus knabi Shannon, 1916 Eastern Flower Fly [Page 448]
Syrphus rectus Osten Sacken, 1875 Yellow-legged Flower Fly [Page 448]
Chrysotoxum pubescens Loew, 1864 Yellow-throated Meadow Fly [Page 466]
Chrysotoxum plumeum Loew, 1864 Broad-banded Meadow Fly [Page 468]
