Eupeodes, the aphideater flies, are a genus of moderate hoverflies in the family Syrphidae. They are distributed worldwide. They are black with yellow markings and can be easily confused with other genera in the Syrphini tribe. The adults feed on nectar and pollen as sources of energy and protein, respectively. Larvae feed on a wide variety of aphids.[1][2]
The aphideater flies are 6–14 mm (0.24–0.55 in) in length. The eyes have either no hairs, or rarely very short and sparse pile. The face is usually yellow, with a narrow but distinct brown median stripe. The scutum is usually shining black, but rarely slightly yellow pruinose laterally. The scutellum is dull yellow, translucent. The ventral scutellar fringe is complete and moderately dense. The pleura are black or grayish black, never yellow, usually shining or with very sparse subshining pruinosity on the upper half. The anterior anepisternum, meron, and metepisternum are all bare. The abdomen is oval, usually nearly flat above, with a strong margin from near the middle of tergite 2 to the apex of tergite 5. Tergite 2 typically has a pair of yellow spots, while the other tergites usually have pale yellow to reddish yellow spots commonly lunulate or with bands of similar colour almost straight. The vein R4+5 is nearly straight or slightly but distinctly dipped into cell r4+5. The wing membrane is usually nearly entirely trichose, with only small bare areas near the base (syrphus has tufts of pile on caypters). The legs are slender, and the hind femur is unarmed. The hind coxa does not have hairs at the posteromedial apical angle.[3]
Eupeodes americanus, larva Eupeodes, the aphideater flies, are a genus of moderate hoverflies in the family Syrphidae. They are distributed worldwide. They are black with yellow markings and can be easily confused with other genera in the Syrphini tribe. The adults feed on nectar and pollen as sources of energy and protein, respectively. Larvae feed on a wide variety of aphids.
