ExploreInsects

Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly

Eristalis stipator

The Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly is a friendly insect that looks a bit like a bee! It helps flowers grow by spreading pollen while it visits them for food.

Habitat: Urban areas

Appearance

The Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly is a fuzzy, medium-sized insect with a bee-like appearance, sporting distinctive yellow patches on the sides of its black-haired thorax, resembling 'shoulders'. Its abdomen is banded with alternating yellow and black stripes, and it has large, reddish-brown eyes that nearly meet on top of its head, characteristic of many hoverflies.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderDipteraFamilySyrphidaeGenusEristalis
Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly
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Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly

Category

Insects

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

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Interesting facts

Even though it looks like a bee, this clever fly only has two wings, while real bees have four!

Its babies, called 'rat-tailed maggots,' can live in very murky, polluted water using their long snorkel tail!

Scientists use drone flies to study how real bees pollinate plants because they visit similar flowers.

Their giant eyes let them see almost every direction at once, making them incredibly difficult to sneak up on!

Special abilities

Ability

Master of Disguise

Yellow-shouldered Drone Flies have a black and yellow fuzzy body that helps them mimic bees or wasps, scaring away predators.

Ability

Airbender Agility

Yellow-shouldered Drone Flies can hover perfectly still in the air and change direction instantly, making them hard to catch.

Ability

Aquatic Snorkel

Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly larvae have a long, retractable 'tail' that helps them breathe air while underwater.

Measurements & details

Wingspan
18-28 mm
Size
10-15 mm
Lifespan
20-45 days
Flight Speed
15 km/h
Leg Count
6

Diet & Feeding

Adults sip sweet nectar and pollen from flowers, while their larvae munch on decaying stuff in water.

Age differences: Larvae filter-feed on decaying organic matter in water, while adults feed on nectar and pollen from flowers.

Primary Foods

  • nectar
  • pollen
  • decaying organic matter
  • algae

Foraging Method

  • Foraging

Ecological connections

pollinates

Wild Carrot

Daucus carota

Adult flies visit and pollinate its flowers.

pollinates

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta

Flies collect nectar and pollen from its blooms.

eaten by

Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

Adult flies can be prey for insectivorous birds.

eaten by

Flower Crab Spider

Misumena vatia

Spiders ambush flies visiting flowers.

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Don't touch insects without asking an adult, but you can watch them from a distance!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly's wingspan?

18-28 mm

How big is Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly?

10-15 mm

How long does Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly live?

20-45 days

How fast can Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly fly?

15 km/h

What does Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly eat?

Adults sip sweet nectar and pollen from flowers, while their larvae munch on decaying stuff in water.

Where is Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly usually found?

Urban areas

How does Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly hunt?

Foraging

How many legs does Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly have?

6

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