Currently viewing the category: "Snipe Flies"
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Mating Golden Backed Snipe Flies

On · Category: Snipe Flies Tagged With: · Add Comment

Subject: Unknown PA flies
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
May 28, 2012 8:51 am
So there are these flies in the back yard and we can’t figure out what they are. They look a bit like deer flies, but have this really bright yellow gold furry thorax. Then we found two engaged in — um — adult activities and it looks like the males and females have different coloring. They are about 3/4 inch long. Any idea what kind of flies these are? Thanks!
Signature: Jeff

Mating Golden Backed Snipe Flies

Hi Jeff,
Your photograph is of mating Golden Backed Snipe Flies, Chrysopilus thoracicus, and each spring we get a few identification requests and they are often of mating pairs.  According to BugGuide:  “Life Cycle Details unknown. This fly is observed in early to mid-spring perched quietly on low vegetation in deciduous woodlands.”

Related posts:

mating_snipe_flies_andreaMating Golden Backed Snipe Flies snipe_flies_mating_aBUG OF THE MONTH JUNE 2009: Golden Backed Snipe Flies Mating golden_backed_snipes_mating_paGolden Backed Snipe Flies Mating Golden Backed Snipe Fly
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Golden Backed Snipe Fly

On · Category: Snipe Flies · Add Comment

Yellow spotted fly
Location: Biggsville, Il.
June 9, 2011 10:06 am
Yesterday I saw what I believe to be a fly in the shade garden. It had one bright yellow spot on it.
Signature: Randy

Golden Backed Snipe Fly

Hi Randy,
Each June we get several identification requests for Golden Backed Snipe Flies from the northern states in the midwest.

Related posts:

Golden Backed Snipe Fly golden_snipe_flies_mating_johnMating Golden Backed Snipe Flies snipe_flies_mating_aBUG OF THE MONTH JUNE 2009: Golden Backed Snipe Flies Mating mating_snipe_flies_andreaMating Golden Backed Snipe Flies
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Golden Backed Snipe Flies Mating

On · Category: Snipe Flies Tagged With: · Add Comment

Fly-like insect with black lacy wings&gold head or throat
Location: western Pennsylvania (Armstrong County)
May 29, 2011 11:41 pm
I have a photo of 2 insects copulating (at least ( believe that’s what they were doing) in the grass at Crooked Creek Lake/Dam/Park in Armstrong County in western Pennsylvania. I cannot find them in 2 insect books I have and have posted the photo on an About.com Insect forum. I have watched dragonflies and damselflies, and other insects while birding but have never seen this particular insect.
Signature: Thanks from a birder/nature lover

Mating Golden Backed Snipe Flies

Dear birder/nature lover,
Despite the blurriness of your image, these are unmistakably Golden Backed Snipe Flies, Chrysopilus thoracicus, and they are in fact “In Flagrante Delicto”.  They were our Bug of the Month in June 2009.  They fly in late spring.

Thank you, thank you, Daniel (Bugman extraordinaire).  I have become almost as interested in insects as I was in birds and critters.  I appreciate your ability to identify the flies in my poor “but idable” photo.  I have photos of other insects I was able to id such as the 6-spotted Tiger Beetle some people misrepresent as the deadly Ash Borer and once while birding up near Punxatawney, PA on the Shadow Mahoning Trail a few of us were awed while watching a Giant Ichneumon Wasp fly around us (looking for a log to lay her eggs on no doubt) and none of us had a camera!!!
Marge from Armstrong County, Pa’

Related posts:

mating_snipe_flies_andreaMating Golden Backed Snipe Flies golden_snipe_flies_mating_johnMating Golden Backed Snipe Flies snipe_flies_mating_aBUG OF THE MONTH JUNE 2009: Golden Backed Snipe Flies Mating Golden Backed Snipe Fly
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Golden Backed Snipe Fly

On · Category: Snipe Flies · Add Comment

Is this a horse Fly?
Location: Roxboro, NC
May 16, 2011 2:09 pm
This bug was flittering with some northern cloudywing butterflys. they were chasing it away from the flowers. I thought it was a small butterfly but looking at the pictures later I decided it might be a Hoarse Fly but can’t find one with the bright yellow eyes. I live in Northern North Carolina. It was sighted on May 16 in the morning in my rural flower garden near a stream, woods and a meadow.
Signature: Thanks, J Armacost

Golden Backed Snipe Fly

Dear J,
This is a Golden Backed Snipe Fly, Chrysopilus thoracicus, and each spring, we receive several new images for our archive.  According to BugGuide:  “Adults are alleged to be predatory on other insects, but they may feed little (observations by BugGuide members).”  Additionally, bugGuide indicates that the details of the life cycle are unknown.

Related posts:

golden_backed_snipe_fly_tennesseeGolden Backed Snipe Fly mating_snipe_flies_andreaMating Golden Backed Snipe Flies golden_snipe_flies_mating_johnMating Golden Backed Snipe Flies snipe_flies_mating_aBUG OF THE MONTH JUNE 2009: Golden Backed Snipe Flies Mating
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Golden Backed Snipe Fly

On · Category: Snipe Flies · Add Comment

Horse Fly-esque?
May 30, 2010
I saw this thing back in our woods this morning crawling in the dirt. I went back in the afternoon with a camera and saw it siiting on this leaf. Got one photo before it flew. Searched and liken it to a horsefly, but have not seen any photos with the same color patterns. So, horse fly?
Tym!
NE Ohio

Golden Backed Snipe Fly

Hi Tym,
This is a beautiful image of a Golden Backed Snipe Fly.

Related posts:

mating_snipe_flies_andreaMating Golden Backed Snipe Flies Golden Backed Snipe Fly snipe_flies_mating_aBUG OF THE MONTH JUNE 2009: Golden Backed Snipe Flies Mating golden_backed_snipe_fly_randyGolden Backed Snipe Fly
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Mating Golden Backed Snipe Flies

On · Category: Snipe Flies Tagged With: · Add Comment

sackens bee robber?
May 23, 2010
around beehives, 5/8th of an inch
Andrea
southern ohio

Mating Golden Backed Snipe Flies

Dear Andrea,
This is a gorgeous photo of mating Golden Backed Snipe Flies, Chrysopilus thoracicus.

Golden Backed Snipe Flies were not in my Field Guide of Insects & Spiders , Closest picture I found was of the Sacken’s Bee Hunter.
This morning there were probably 30 flying about, I was hoping they were not honey bee predators since they were all in the general area of a hive & I have never noticed this insect before the hive was installed
I can research now that I know what they are
Thanks!
Andrea

Related posts:

golden_snipe_flies_mating_johnMating Golden Backed Snipe Flies snipe_flies_mating_aBUG OF THE MONTH JUNE 2009: Golden Backed Snipe Flies Mating golden_backed_snipes_mating_paGolden Backed Snipe Flies Mating Golden Backed Snipe Fly
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Golden Backed Snipe Fly

On · Category: Snipe Flies · Add Comment

Gold Dot Black Fly
May 19, 2010
Gold Dot Black Fly
Found several of these on a deck. Early Morning in East Tn, Oak Ridge. May 19, 2010. What are they?
Curious in O R
Oak Ridge Tn

Golden Backed Snipe Fly

Dear Curious,
This distinctive fly is a Golden Backed Snipe Fly, Chrysopilus thoracicus, and it ranges throughout the eastern portions of North America.  According to BugGuide, the details of its life cycle are:  “unknown. This fly is observed in early to mid-spring perched quietly on low vegetation in deciduous woodlands.“

Related posts:

golden_snipe_flies_mating_johnMating Golden Backed Snipe Flies snipe_flies_mating_aBUG OF THE MONTH JUNE 2009: Golden Backed Snipe Flies Mating Golden Backed Snipe Fly mating_snipe_flies_andreaMating Golden Backed Snipe Flies
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Long Legged Fly

On · Category: Snipe Flies · Add Comment

Daughter’s First Pet
May 1, 2010
Please answer soon! This is my 5 year-old’s beloved first pet, “Fly-ey.” It goes with her everywhere! What kind is it and how should we care for it? What is its life expectancy? Can you think of any other critter that would be compatible as a friend? Thanks!
Erin Hobbs
Alpharetta, GA

Long Legged Fly

Daughter’s First Pet
May 3, 2010
I sent an email a couple days ago about my 5 year-old’s pet fly. Unfortunately, Fly-ey passed away Monday morning. Many tears were shed, but I hope the love of science continues.
Erin Hobbs
Alpharetta, GA

Hi Erin,
You have our condolences.  We are also sorry we did not write back sooner, but it is impossible for our tiny staff to handle all the mail we receive.  It appears that your daughter’s pet was a Long Legged Fly in the family Dolichopodidae, and there are many images on BugGuide.  Since they are predatory, you might have had a hard time feeding this pet.

Correction thanks to Eric Eaton
May 7, 2010
Hi, Daniel:
Saw the note about Mother’s Day, and am delighted you are taking the well-deserved time off! Congrats on the book, too.  Let me know when it comes out and I’ll blog about it….
Meanwhile, the “longlegged fly” posted May 1 is actually some type of snipe fly, family Rhagionidae.  Easy to get the two confused.
Eric

Related posts:

longlegged_fly_floridaStilt Legged Fly Long Legged Fly longlegged_fly_cathyLong Legged Fly and Prey Stilt Legged Fly
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination