# Cylindromyia bicolor Cylindromyia bicolor is a colorful fly with bright yellow and black stripes. These little insects are often found buzzing around flowers, helping to pollinate them while they search for food. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Gardens and meadows ![Cylindromyia bicolor](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cylindromyia_bicolor_-_Northern_Italy.jpg&width=800) Photo: Torque, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cylindromyia_bicolor_-_Northern_Italy.jpg) ## Appearance The Cylindromyia bicolor is a slender fly, immediately recognizable by its dark, metallic blue head and thorax, contrasting sharply with a bright orange-red abdomen. Its long body and prominent wings make it distinct from common houseflies, often resembling a wasp or bee from a distance. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Diptera - **Family:** Tachinidae - **Genus:** Cylindromyia ## Interesting facts - Cylindromyia bicolor helps farmers by controlling plant-eating pests. - Their babies grow inside other living insects like caterpillars! - These flies look like wasps, but they are completely harmless. - They belong to a huge family of flies with over 8,200 different kinds! ## Special abilities - **Parasitic Power:** Cylindromyia bicolor can lay eggs on host insects because its larvae need to eat the host to grow, helping control pest populations. - **Nectar Nibbler:** Cylindromyia bicolor has a proboscis that helps them drink sweet nectar from flowers, giving them energy to fly. - **Rapid Reactor:** Cylindromyia bicolor can fly quickly and maneuver expertly to escape predators and find host insects. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 10-15 mm - **Size:** 7-10 mm - **Lifespan:** 14-28 days - **Flight Speed:** 15 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults drink flower nectar, while their larvae are tiny predators of other insects. - **Age differences:** Adults feed on nectar; larvae develop inside and consume other insects. - **Primary Foods:** Nectar, Caterpillars, Beetle larvae, Grasshoppers - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Parasitizes:** Small White butterfly (*Pieris rapae*) — Larvae develop inside their caterpillars. - **Pollinates:** Wild Carrot (*Daucus carota*) — Adults visit their flowers for nectar. - **Eaten by:** Flower Crab Spider (*Misumena vatia*) — Ambush predators on flowers. ## Traits - [Striped](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/striped): Marked with parallel bands or lines of color. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low These flies are friendly and won't hurt you, but it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Cylindromyia bicolor? Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Cylindromyia bicolor's wingspan? 10-15 mm ### How big is Cylindromyia bicolor? 7-10 mm ### How long does Cylindromyia bicolor live? 14-28 days ### How fast can Cylindromyia bicolor fly? 15 km/h ### What does Cylindromyia bicolor eat? Adults drink flower nectar, while their larvae are tiny predators of other insects. ### Where is Cylindromyia bicolor usually found? Gardens and meadows ### How does Cylindromyia bicolor hunt? Pursuit ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Cylindromyia bicolor: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cylindromyia-bicolor)