Small orange and black bug sucking on nectar of goldenrod
October 6, 2009
Hi. I came across this bug at my home in Sayville, New York. There were many individuals sucking the nectar from some goldenrod flower heads. I have never seen this bug before. What is this?
Derek Rogers
Sayville, New York
Hi Derek,
These are March Flies in the family Bibionidae. We believe they are Dilophus spinipes, a species represented on BugGuide with several images taken in New York a few days ago. Those specimens were also pictured feeding on yellow flowers. For some reason, we are unable to access any additional information on BugGuide this morning. March Flies often appear in a very small window of time, and they appear in great numbers. The infamous Love Bugs from the Southern States are a prime example.
