# 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. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Eristalis_stipator_51494308.jpg&width=800) Photo: Catherine C. Galley, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eristalis_stipator_51494308.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Diptera - **Family:** Syrphidae - **Genus:** Eristalis ## 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 - **Master of Disguise:** Yellow-shouldered Drone Flies have a black and yellow fuzzy body that helps them mimic bees or wasps, scaring away predators. - **Airbender Agility:** Yellow-shouldered Drone Flies can hover perfectly still in the air and change direction instantly, making them hard to catch. - **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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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 - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [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. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [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. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [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 Don't touch insects without asking an adult, but you can watch them from a distance! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly? 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 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 ## Where to spot - [Clover Bend Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/clover-bend-historic-district) — Arkansas, US · Historic District - [Lincoln Children's Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lincoln-childrens-zoo) — Nebraska, US · Zoo ## 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: [Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-shouldered-drone-fly)