The species Stomorhina lunata is found in various regions including Europe, Afrotropical realm, Eastern Palearctic realm, Near East, North Africa, Indomalayan realm, and Nearctic realm. They are typically found in meadows. These medium-sized blowflies resemble house flies but have a distinct proboscis, striped thorax, and banded abdomen. Males have orange patches on tergites 3 and 4, while females have grey dust patches. Stomorhina lunata preys on agricultural pests like the South African brown locust, desert locust, and migratory locust. They are migratory and feed on nectar and pollen from certain plant species.
Distribution and habitat
#This species is present in most of Europe, the Afrotropical realm, the eastern Palearctic realm, the Near East and North Africa, the Indomalayan realm, and the Nearctic realm. These flies usually inhabit meadows.
Description
#Stomorhina lunata can reach a length of 5–9 millimetres (0.20–0.35 in) and a wingspan of 13–16 millimetres (0.51–0.63 in). These distinctive, medium-sized blowflies are rather similar to the house flies, but they have a characteristic prominent proboscis, a longitudinally striped thorax and an abdomen with yellow and black bands. Males have large orange patches on the sides of tergites 3 and 4, while females only show grey dust patches.This distinctively marked species is often misidentified because of the unusual band pattern in the abdomen, typical of hoverflies.
Biology
#Stomorhina lunata is an important egg predator of some major African agricultural pests, the South African brown locust (Locustana pardalina), the more widespread desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria), and the migratory locust (Locustana migratoria).Adults are migratory and are present from July to October. They can usually be found feeding on nectar and pollen of umbellifer flowers (Apiaceae) and of Asteraceae species (mainly Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Tanacetum vulgare, Anthriscus sylvestris, Erysimum cheiranthoides, Filipendula ulmaria).
External links
#Data related to Stomorhina lunata at Wikispecies
Media related to Stomorhina lunata at Wikimedia Commons
Eakringbirds
Nature Spot
The species Stomorhina lunata is found in various regions including Europe, Afrotropical realm, Eastern Palearctic realm, Near East, North Africa, Indomalayan realm, and Nearctic realm. They are typically found in meadows. These medium-sized blowflies resemble house flies but have a distinct proboscis, striped thorax, and banded abdomen. Males have orange patches on tergites 3 and 4, while females have grey dust patches. Stomorhina lunata preys on agricultural pests like the South African brown locust, desert locust, and migratory locust. They are migratory and feed on nectar and pollen from certain plant species.
Ancestry Graph
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arthropods("phylum: Arthropods"):::active
arthropods-->insects("class: Insects"):::active
insects-->brachyceran-flies("suborder: Brachyceran Flies"):::active
brachyceran-flies-.->bee-flies("family: Bee Flies")
brachyceran-flies-.->blow-flies("family: Blow Flies")
brachyceran-flies-.->bristle-flies("family: Bristle Flies")
brachyceran-flies-.->dance-flies("family: Dance Flies")
brachyceran-flies-.->dung-flies("family: Dung Flies")
brachyceran-flies-.->flesh-flies-and-satellite-flies("family: Flesh Flies and Satellite Flies")
brachyceran-flies-.->heleomyzid-flies("family: Heleomyzid Flies")
brachyceran-flies-.->house-flies-and-allies("family: House Flies and Allies")
brachyceran-flies-.->hover-flies("family: Hover Flies")
brachyceran-flies-.->lesser-house-flies-and-allies("family: Lesser House Flies and Allies")
brachyceran-flies==>locust-blowfly(["species: Locust Blowfly"]):::active
brachyceran-flies-.->root-maggot-flies("family: Root-maggot Flies")
brachyceran-flies-.->snipe-flies("family: Snipe Flies")
brachyceran-flies-.->soldier-flies("family: Soldier Flies")
brachyceran-flies-.->thick-headed-flies("family: Thick-headed Flies")
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click root-maggot-flies href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/brachyceran-flies/root-maggot-flies/"
click snipe-flies href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/brachyceran-flies/snipe-flies/"
click soldier-flies href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/brachyceran-flies/soldier-flies/"
click thick-headed-flies href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/brachyceran-flies/thick-headed-flies/"
click arthropods href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/"
click insects href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/"
click brachyceran-flies href "/en/catalogue/arthropods/insects/brachyceran-flies/"
Further Information
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