Gold-Backed Snipe Fly - (Chrysopilus thoracicus)

A bright gold spot on the thorax of the Gold-Backed Snipe Fly draws immediate attention to this big fly.

Staff Writer (8/21/2015): Not much is known about the Gold-Backed Snipe Fly. It is a member of the Snipe Fly family, which are large flies usually found in wooded areas. The larvae of this species have been seen on rotting wood, though little is known about their life cycle.

It has a look of a wasp and is thought to be a predatory insect. Females have more robust bodies and space between their eyes. Males have larger eyes that are close together and wings that are smokey along the outer edges. Both genders are black with five shiny, metallic bands of golden hairs on the abdomen and a metallic gold spot on the near the head.

©2005-2017 www.InsectIdentification.org. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction Permitted. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from www.InsectIdentification.org is strictly prohibited. Material presented throughout this website is for entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for scientific research or medical advice (insect bites, etc...). Please consult licensed, degreed professionals for such information. Email corrections / Comments to InsectIdentification at Gmail dot com.

Details of the:
Gold-Backed Snipe Fly

Category: Fly or Mosquito
Common name: Gold-Backed Snipe Fly
Scientific Name: Chrysopilus thoracicus

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Diptera

Family: Rhagionidae

Genus: Chrysopilus

Species: thoracicus

Size (Adult, Length): 10mm to 12mm (0.39in to 0.47in)

Identifying Colors: black, yellow, white

Additional Descriptors: spot, dot, flying, fast, buzzing, shiny, metallic, stripe

North American Reach (Though Not Limited To*): Alabama; Connecticut; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Illinois; Indiana; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Mississippi; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; North Carolina; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; Tennessee; Texas; Vermont; Virginia; West Virginia

* Keep in mind that an insect's reach is not limited by lines on a map and therefore may appear in areas/regions/states beyond those listed above.

BUGFINDER: What Kind of Bug is This...

BUGFINDER allows for a quick search of the Insect Identification database by selecting primary color, secondary color, number of legs and the territory / state in question. If only one color is present on your insect, select it again as its SECONDARY color. Remember that the more details you can offer, the better your chances of finding a match. As a rule of thumb, six legs are typical for most insects whereas spiders generally have eight legs.

Primary Color:

Secondary Color:

Number of Legs:

State / Province:

General Category: