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Image Credit: Susanna L. from Winchester, VA
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Image Credit: Eric from central NY
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Image Credit: Kim G. from Elmvale, ON
A bright gold spot on the back of the Gold-Backed Snipe Fly garners instant attention to this big and shimmery fly.
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 than males, and also have 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 in addition to the quite obvious metallic gold spot near the head.
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Arthropoda
Class:Insecta
Order:Diptera
Family:Rhagionidae
Genus:Chrysopilus
Species:thoracicus
Identifying Information
Scientific Name: Chrysopilus thoracicus
Category:
Fly or Mosquito
Size (Adult; Length): 10mm to 12mm (0.39in to 0.47in)
Note: An insect's reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas, regions and/or states beyond those listed above as they are driven by environmental factors (such as climate change), available food supplies and mating patterns. Grayed-out selections indicate that the subject in question has not been reported in that particular territory. U.S. states and Canadian provinces / territories are clickable to their respective bug listings.
Colors: black, yellow, white
