Subject: Beautiful Bug
Location: Gettysburg, PA
September 15, 2015 6:36 am
Hello,
This is a bug that flies and seemed to like the stems of grasses and wildflowers at Gettysburg National Military Park. I haven’t been able to find it anywhere. I thought it was a beetle, but someone said it’s a fly that mimics a beetle. Please help.
Signature: Clueless but Hopeful
Dear Clueless bug Hopeful,
We have identified your beautiful Flower Fly or Hover Fly from the family Syrphidae as Eristalinus aeneus thanks to this image on BugGuide. It really does have distinctive eyes and the space between the eyes indicates your individual is a female. According to BugGuide: “Native to Europe, adventive in NA and now widespread in e. NA (ON-FL)” and “In Europe, larvae often found associated with decaying seaweed.”