starting on Flies
1 pair of wings. Eyes in front.
Guide from @edanko: https://sites.google.com/view/flyguide
Calyptrate flies
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/41567988
"genus Musca has wing vein M bent near the tip of the wing to meet vein R4+5 (or nearly meet it) at the very edge of the wing (I'll have to let you look up those wing veins in a field guide or on the web, sorry). Your fly seems to have vein M run parallel to R4+5 without bending near the tip, which is actually true of most muscoid flies, but not genus Musca... :) Yours is more like this one:"
https://bugguide.net/node/view/762316
Musca House fly
-- 2 stripes on backSarchophagine Flesh fly
-- "scutum black with 4 grey stripes. abdomen "black and grey patterning"https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/62441728
Calliphordinae Blow fly
-- eats honey dew / nectar, bristles on sides of thorax, often metallic blue or greenhttps://www.inaturalist.org/observations/61954832
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/62603855 blue blowfly (can be useful pollinator) Genus Calliphora
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/62605379 green bottlefly Genus Lucilia
Family: Tachinid
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/41794361
Tribe: Tachinine, Genus: Epalpus
"The light yellowish grayish head, thorax, and dark abdomen with a whitish spot at the end. This should also be distinct for Epalpus signifer species in the east. I don't know the western species." - aispinsects
Family Bombyliidae
Bee flies (fly with proboscis, lots of fur)Family Syrphidae (Flower Flies or Hover Flies)
See post: https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/williamkimzey/42119-flower-flies-hover-flies-family-syrphidae
Open questions:
How closely related are bee flies and drone flies? https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/drone_flies.shtml
why mimic bees? "there is one thing flies cannot do that bees can – sting!"
Observations
Photos / Sounds
What
House Flies and Allies (Family Muscidae)Observer
williamkimzeyDescription
bigger than 1/2 "
on oregon grape blooms
also smaller flies, like gnats, around. make a 2nd observation
Comments
The following phylogeny is well-supported by multiple lines of evidence: mosquitoes | [bee flies | (drone flies | house flies)]
Yeah, mimicking bees (or hornets and other wasps) apparently avoids being a target for predators like birds.
Happy to help with other questions.
Add a Comment