Parhelophilus integer

(Loew, 1863)

Shiny Bog Fly

Parhelophilus integer, commonly known as the shiny bog fly, is a rare syrphid fly found in the Eastern United States. are flower-associated, feeding on nectar and pollen. The species exhibits typical hoverfly , capable of remaining nearly motionless in flight. Larvae develop in aquatic or semi-aquatic environments with the characteristic long-tailed 'rat-tailed' shared by other members of the .

Parhelophilus integer 1 by Chase G. Mayers. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Parhelophilus integer: //pɑr.hɛˈlɒf.ɪˌlʊs ˈɪn.tə.dʒər//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Habitat

Bog and wetland environments, inferred from the and association with aquatic .

Distribution

Eastern United States.

Diet

feed on nectar and pollen from flowers.

Life Cycle

Larvae are of the 'rat-tailed' type—elongated aquatic or semi-aquatic forms with a long respiratory siphon that allows breathing while submerged in organic-rich water or mud. Specific larval development details for this are not documented.

Behavior

are commonly found on flowers. Hoverflies in this can remain nearly motionless in .

More Details

Genus-level larval morphology

The larvae of Parhelophilus are described as the long-tailed 'rat-tailed' type, a characteristic shared across the . This morphological allows larvae to respire in aquatic or semi-aquatic environments with low oxygen.