Leaf-surface-feeder
Guides
Xylota
Leafwalkers and Forest Flies
Xylota is a Holarctic genus of hoverflies (family Syrphidae) comprising over 100 described species, with 12 species occurring in Europe. Adults are characterized by their elongate body form and association with woodland habitats. Unlike most syrphid flies, many Xylota species rarely visit flowers, instead feeding on pollen gathered from leaf surfaces. Larvae are saprophytic, developing in rotting wood of both broadleaved and coniferous trees.