Specialized-habitat
Guides
Callicera erratica
golden pine fly, American Golden Longhorn
Callicera erratica is a rare species of syrphid fly found in the northeastern United States and Canada. Adults are associated with flowers, where they feed on nectar and pollen. The species is notable for its specialized larval habitat: water-filled rot holes and cavities in old, living conifer trees. Its common name "golden pine fly" reflects both its coloration and this unique ecological association with pine trees.
Cedusa inflata
Cedusa inflata is a derbid planthopper in the family Derbidae. Its larvae develop exclusively in decaying palm tissue, a specialized habitat that directly determines where adults occur. Adults are found on living palms, specifically the same palm species where larval development took place. This tight coupling between larval habitat and adult distribution represents a notable ecological pattern among planthoppers.
Stictomyia
Stictomyia is a small genus of picture-winged flies (family Ulidiidae) containing two described species. The genus is notable for its highly unusual morphology and ecology, particularly in Stictomyia longicornis, which exhibits beetle-like appearance and strong association with cacti. These flies are among the more aberrant members of the Ulidiidae, departing significantly from the typical wing-patterned, active-flying form of most picture-winged flies.