Phaonia pallida
species of family “House Flies and Allies“
1 species
The species Phaonia pallida is found in parts of Europe, Russia, and Asia. They are typically found in deciduous forests and woodland, particularly spruce forest edges. These flies have an orange body with a hairy thorax, yellow legs and balancers, black tarsi, and dark red eyes. The females have a yellow marking separating their eyes, while in males, the eyes are very close together. The adults feed on flower nectar, especially from Heracleum sphondylium, and the larvae can be found in various fungi, rotten wood, and under tree bark. The last larval stage is carnivorous, feeding on small insects.
Distribution and habitat#
This species is distributed across parts of the Palearctic – Europe (including Sicily and the Azores), Russia, and Asia (Israel, Turkey, and Iran). These flies mainly inhabit deciduous forests and woodland, especially spruce forest edge.
Description#
Phaonia pallida can reach a length of about 5.5–7.9 millimetres (0.22–0.31 in). These flies have an orange body with a very hairy thorax. The antennae are composed by three articles and bear a feathery arista. The legs and the balancers are yellow, while the tarsi are black. The eyes are dark red, separated by a yellow marking in the females, while in males they are very close to each other.
Biology#
Adults fly from May to September, feeding on nectar of flowers (especially of Heracleum sphondylium). Its larvae have been found growing in various fungi (Amanita rubescens, Clitocybe nebularis, Paralepista flaccida, Xerula radicata, Hymenopellis radicata, Amanita muscaria) but also in rotten wood and under tree bark. The last larval instar of Phaonia pallida is carnivorous, feeding on small insects.
Bibliography#
Chandler, Peter J. (2010). A Dipterist’s Handbook (2nd Edition). The Amateur Entomologist. 15. Orpington, Kent, England: Amateur Entomologists’ Society. pp. 525pp D’Assis Fonseca, E.C.M (1968). Diptera Cyclorrhapha Calyptrata: Muscidae. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. 10. London.: Royal Entomological Society of London. pp. 118pp. Gregor, F.; Rozkosny, R.; Bartak, M.; Vanhara, J. (2002). The Muscidae (Diptera) of Central Europe. Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Masarykianae Brunensis. 107. Masaryk.: Masaryk University. pp. 280pp.
References#
Data related to Phaonia pallida at Wikispecies Media related to Phaonia pallida at Wikimedia Commons
The species Phaonia pallida is found in parts of Europe, Russia, and Asia. They are typically found in deciduous forests and woodland, particularly spruce forest edges. These flies have an orange body with a hairy thorax, yellow legs and balancers, black tarsi, and dark red eyes. The females have a yellow marking separating their eyes, while in males, the eyes are very close together. The adults feed on flower nectar, especially from Heracleum sphondylium, and the larvae can be found in various fungi, rotten wood, and under tree bark. The last larval stage is carnivorous, feeding on small insects.
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