# Black-shouldered Drone Fly

*Eristalis dimidiata*

Their larvae are called 'rat-tailed maggots' because they use a long, telescoping breathing tube like a snorkel to breathe underwater.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Diptera › Syrphidae › Eristalis
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** wetland
- **Habitat:** Wetlands, marshes, damp woodlands, gardens, and agricultural fields near stagnant water.
- **Diet:** Adults feed on nectar and pollen from flowers; larvae (rat-tailed maggots) feed on decaying organic matter in stagnant water.
- **Range:** North America
- **Size:** Wingspan of 10-14 mm; body length of 10-15 mm.
- **Lifespan:** Adults live for about 1 to 2 months; entire life cycle is around 1 year.
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Pesticide use, habitat loss of wetland breeding sites, and decline in floral diversity.
- **Safe to approach?:** Completely harmless. Despite its bee-like appearance (Batesian mimicry), the drone fly has no stinger or venom and cannot bite. You can safely observe them from inches away as they hover near flowers. If one lands on you, it is likely seeking sweat or salts; simply let it be or gently brush it away.

## About

Eristalis dimidiata is a species of syrphid fly in the family Syrphidae.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/51c702e4-b34e-4c9e-83cb-3b5ab8d435f2
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/155106
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eristalis dimidiata
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/188688/medium.jpg (Gilles Gonthier, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.