rss Golden-back Snipe Fly
I saw this fly earlier today. I live in southern Maryland. I only learned the name after searching your site. I thought you might like to add it to your collection. I should put your site as a shortcut on my toolbar because it seems like I go there so often looking for the name of some insect I have never seen before. Its a great site…
Mike Roane
Hi Mike,
We are thrilled to add your Golden Backed Snipe Fly to our archive.
Bug Love Photos
Why Don’t We Do It In The Road? I saw these cute little buggers by our office around 7 a.m. one morning, (Pearl River, NY, right on the NY-NY line about 6 miles west of the Hudson River). I thought they were some kind of fly until l saw the photos of the clearwing moths. However these guys are smaller – maybe 5/8” wingspan. I read on one of the linked bug sites there is a smaller species of clearwings that resemble bumblebees (but no photo). Maybe that’s these guys. Their head and body structure still looks awfully fly-like to me though. Love your site! Nice to know there are other bug-lovers out. What beautiful photos. What beautiful lil’ critters. Best Regards,
Jeanne Guderian
Hi Jeanne,
You are right about them being flies. These are mating Golden Backed Snipe Flies. Your wonderful photo shows the wing veination quite nicely.
I took a picture of this bug in June 2006, I’ve looked and looked but still can’t find what it could be. I live in NW Indiana, which is also where I seen this. I thought it was beautiful but could you help me?
Jessica
Hi Jessica,
This is a Golden Backed Snipe Fly, Chrysopilus thoracicus, and we get most of our photos of this species from the midwest in mid June.
Golden Backed Snipe Flies
These were so pretty. I took their pictures in June 2005. Their abdomens were black and white striped, with a golden velvet on their thorax. I believe they are Golden Backed Snipe Flies. I apologize for the poor image quality. I sent an email to the Purdue Entomology department last summer, but no one ever responded, so I’ve been wondering ever since then. My husband found your great web site because we were trying to identify a new bug to us… the huge robber fly. I wish I had pictures of them. I know you say it’s only 3-4 cm, but I swear those things are bigger than that! At any rate, while on your site, I thought what a great place to figure out my Black and Yellow flies as I was calling them. I guess I wasn’t that far off in my made up nomenclature! Thanks for a great site! It’s awesome!
Amy Jost
Cincinnati, OH
Hi Amy,
These are Golden Backed Snipe Flies, and even though the image is a bit blurry, we are happy to have the mating couple for our Bug Love page.
Summer Solstice (06/21/2006) What’s this bug?
Bug Man,
Can you identify this fly? I can’t help much as this is the only time I have ever seen it. I can tell you that it was seen near a drainage culvert that runs along side a soybean farm near Flint Michigan. June 12 2006 was the date I photographed it. As you can see in the photos it has a gold spot on top and four white stripes on each side of its abdomen. at the base of its antenna it looked like 3 little balls stacked one on top of the other. Its not much to go on but I hope that helped some. I’m real curious to hear what you have to say.
Thanks
Craig Putnam
Hi Craig,
Yours is the third image of a Golden Backed Snipe Fly, Chrysopilus thoracicus, that we received this June.
Fly – Burlington Ontario
This fly looks a lot like the love bugs from Florida (except for the color on the thorax). I have never seen anything like this before and am hoping you can identify it for me.Many thanks,
Janet Nelson
Burlinton, Canada
Hi Janet,
This is a new species for our site, a Golden Backed Snipe Fly, Chrysopilus thoracicus. I just saw one while on holiday in Mill Creek Park in Youngstown, Ohio.
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