Microdon
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Flies in the genus (group) Microdon are different from most other flies because they are myrmecophiles, which means they live in ant colonies (nests). There are more than 350 species (different kinds) of Microdon in the world. The most Microdon live in the tropics; 30 species live in North America (Thompson 1981).
[change] What they look like
Microdon adults are very hairy and look like bees. They are 8 to 15 mm long. The antennae are almost as long as the fly's face. These flies have black or pale (white or golden) hairs, and their bodies are either black or metallic green or blue.
The larvae of Microdon flies look strange. They are very round and look like stout little slugs. At first scientists thought they were mollusks and scale insects (Duffield 1981). They move slowly.
[change] What they do
Adult Microdon flies do not hover around flowers such as many other flies; instead they remain close to the ant colonies where they grew up.
Larvae may be found very deep in ant nests. Some Microdon larvae eat ant larvae (Duffield 1981); others are scavengers, which means they eat dead plants or insects in the ant colony. Most Microdon larvae can only live in the colony of one kind of ant.
Not much is known about Microdon flies because their larvae live in ant nests where it is difficult to see them.
[change] References
- Duffield, R.M. 1981. Biology of Microdon fuscipennis (Diptera: Syrphidae) with interpretation of reproductive strategies of Microdon species found north of Mexico. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 83: 716-724.
- Thompson, F.C. 1981. Revisionary notes on Nearctic Microdon flies (Diptera: Syrphidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 83: 725-758.
