Sericomyia lata

(Coquillett, 1907)

White-spotted Pond Fly

Sericomyia lata is a commonly known as the -spotted Pond Fly. are -sized , 11.6–15.2 mm in length, with distinctive black bodies and large white abdominal spots. The is widespread across North America, with highest concentrations in eastern regions. Like other members of its , the develop in aquatic or semi-aquatic and possess the characteristic rat-tailed breathing typical of Sericomyia.

Sericomyia lata by (c) christine123, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by christine123. Used under a CC-BY license.Sericomyia lata 43608307 by Jimmy Dee. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.Sericomyia lata by Jimmy Dee. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Sericomyia lata: /ˌsɛrɪkoʊˈmaɪə ˈleɪtə/

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Identification

are distinguished from similar by the combination of black body coloration with large, conspicuous spots on the . The size range of 11.6–15.2 mm helps separate it from smaller or larger syrphid . The white-spotted pattern differs from the -and-black banding common in many mimics of and .

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Habitat

are associated with flowers where they feed on nectar and pollen. develop in bog mat pools and other aquatic or semi-aquatic environments with matter.

Distribution

Widespread across North America, with highest abundance in eastern regions. Documented from the United States including Vermont, with records extending across the continent.

Diet

feed on nectar and pollen from flowers. Larval diet consists of bacteria and other microbes filtered from matter in aquatic .

Life Cycle

Larval stage is aquatic, developing in bog mat pools with the characteristic rat-tailed breathing connecting to the water surface. filter-feed on microorganisms in -rich water. Mature larvae seek dry land to pupate.

Behavior

hover around flowers, a common to that contributes to their role.

Ecological Role

function as through nectar and pollen feeding at flowers. contribute to in aquatic through filter-feeding on matter.

Similar Taxa

  • Eristalis tenaxBoth have rat-tailed and are -sized , but E. tenax are mimics with and black banding rather than black with spots.
  • Other Sericomyia speciesShare the rat-tailed larval form and general body plan, but abdominal spot patterns and geographic distribution differ.

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Sources and further reading