Syrphid Flies of the North Coast & Cascades

Syrphid flies (Syrphidae family), also known as hoverflies or flower flies, feed on nectar or pollen. They are frequently observed on flowers in subalpine and alpine ecosystems, but there is little research on their distribution or importance as pollinators. In 2014, Dr. Jessica Rykken conducted pollinator surveys in Olympic National Park and North Cascades National Park Service Complex, documented 57 taxa of syrphid flies.

---

Syrphid Flies (Syrphidae)

Species	Common name	Larval habits	Lewis and Clark National Historical Park	North Cascades National Park Complex	Olympic National Park
Blera scitula	Western wood fly	Saprophagous; tree holes		x	x
Chalcosyrphus nemorum	Dusky-banded forest fly	Saprophagous; decaying sap under bark			x
Cheilosia tristis	Pollen fly	Unknown; genus is variable in habits			x
Criorhina coquilletti	Variable bumblefly	Saprophagous; tree holes, dead wood		x	x
Eristalis arbustorum	European drone fly*	Saprophagous; wet organic material			x
Eristalis hirta	Hirsute drone fly	Saprophagous; wet organic material		x	x
Eristalis tenax	Drone fly*	Saprophagous; wet organic material			x
Hadromyia crawfordi	Golden quicksilver	Unknown			x
Hadromyia grandis	Bee-like quicksilver	Unknown			x
Hadromyia opaca	Brassy quicksilver	Unknown			x
Hadromyia pulchra	Yellow-shielded quicksilver	Unknown			x
Helophilus fasciatus	Narrow-headed sunfly	Saprophagous; wet organic material		x	x
Hiatomyia plutonia	Midnight deltawing	Unknown		x	x
Sericomyia chalcopyga	Western pond fly	Saprophagous; wet organic material		x	x
Sericomyia flagrans	Spot-winged pond fly	Saprophagous; wet organic material		x
Sphecomyia pattoni	Patton's yellowjacket fly	Saprophagous; wet organic material		x	x
Sphegina sp.	Spatulate fly	Saprophagous; decaying sap under bark		x
Syritta pipiens	Common compost fly*	Saprophagous; manure, compost		x
Xylota naknek	Naknek forest fly	Saprophagous; decayed sap and wood			x
Chrysotoxum fasciatum	Western meadow fly	Predator on aphids			x
Chrysotoxum flavifrons	Blackshield meadow fly	Predator on aphids		x
Chrysotoxum ventricosum	Cordilleran meadow fly	Predator on aphids		x	x
Dasysyrphus intrudens	Confusing conifer fly	Predator on aphids		x	x
Dasysyrphus venustus	Transverse conifer fly	Predator on aphids			x
Epistrophe grossulariae	Black-horned smoothtail	Predator on aphids			x
Eriozona laxus	Black-legged gossamer	Predator on aphids		x	x
Eupeodes fumipennis	Long-tailed aphideater	Predator on aphids			x
Eupeodes sp.	Aphideater	Predator on aphids	x
Fazia micrura	Diamond spottail	Predator on aphids	x		x
Eupeodes aberrantis	Western loopwing aphideater	Predator on aphids		x
Eupeodes lapponicus	Common loopwing aphideater	Predator on aphids		x	x
Melangyna fisherii	Large-spotted halfband	Predator on aphids		x
Melangyna labiatarum	Bare-eyed halfband	Predator on aphids		x
Melangyna subfasciata	Yellow-faced halfband	Predator on aphids			x
Melangyna umbellatarum	Bare-winged halfband	Predator on aphids		x	x
Melanostoma mellinum	Western roundtail	Predator on aphids	x	x	x
Neocnemodon rita	Gloomy spikeleg	Predator on aphids		x
Paragus haemorrhous	Black-nosed grass skimmer	Predator on aphids		x
Paragus sp.	Skimmer	Predator on aphids			x
Parasyrphus relictus	Boreal bristleside	Predator on aphids		x	x
Platycheirus atra/lutepennis	Sedgesitter	Predator on aphids			x
Platycheirus ciliatus	Pacific sedgesitter	Predator on aphids		x
Platycheirus confusus/sabulicola	Sedgesitter	Predator on aphids			x
Platycheirus stegnus	Greater punctate sedgesitter	Predator on aphids		x
Platycheirus trichopus	Western forest sedgesitter	Predator on aphids			x
Sphaerophoria abbreviata/asymmetrica	Globetail	Predator on aphids		x	x
Sphaerophoria brevipilosa/longipilosa	Globetail	Predator on aphids			x
Sphaerophoria novaeangliae	Black-striped globetail	Predator on aphids			x
Sphaerophoria sulphuripes	Forded globetail	Predator on aphids	x	x	x
Syrphus attenuatus	Yellow-margined flower fly	Predator on aphids			x
Syrphus opinator	Black-margined flower fly	Predator on aphids		x	x
Syrphus ribesii	Common flower fly	Predator on aphids		x	x
Syrphus torvus	Hairy-eyed flower fly	Predator on aphids		x	x
Toxomerus occidentalis	Western calligrapher	Predator on aphids		x	x
Toxomerus sp.	Calligrapher	Predator on aphids	x

* = non-native

Adult blackshield meadow flies (Chrysotoxum flavifrons) are wasp mimics.  They are aphid predators as larvae.

NPS / Jessica Rykken