The Tephritidae are one of two fly families referred to as fruit flies, the other family being the Drosophilidae. The family Tephritidae does not include the biological model organisms of the genus Drosophila, which is often called the "common fruit fly". Nearly 5,000 described species of tephritid fruit fly are categorized in almost 500 genera of the Tephritidae. Description, recategorization, and genetic analyses are constantly changing the taxonomy of this family. To distinguish them from the Drosophilidae, the Tephritidae are sometimes called peacock flies, in reference to their elaborate and colorful markings. The name comes from the Greek τεφρος, tephros, meaning "ash grey". They are found in all the biogeographic realms.
The Anthomyiidae are a large and diverse family of Muscoidea flies. Most look rather like small houseflies. Most species are drab grey to black. Many Pegomya are yellow, and some members of the genera Anthomyia and Eutrichota are patterned in black-and-white or black-and-silvery-grey. Most are difficult to identify, apart from a few groups such as the kelp flies that are conspicuous on beaches.
Syritta pipiens, sometimes called the thick-legged hoverfly, is one of the most common species in the insect family Syrphidae. This fly originates from Europe and is currently distributed across Eurasia and North America. They are fast and nimble fliers, and their larvae are found in wet, rotting organic matter such as garden compost, manure, and silage. The species is also commonly found in human-created environments such as most farmland, gardens, and urban parks, wherever there are flowers. This species is an important part of its native ecosystem as adult Syritta pipiens flies are critical pollinators for a variety of flowering plants and the species supports parasitism by various parasitic wasp species. Thus, they play an important role in environmental functionality, and can serve as bio-indicators, in which their abundance can reflect the health of the environment. Syritta pipiens looks like many predatory hoverfly species, yet is not predatory.
Platycheirus clypeatus is a species of hoverfly. It is found across the Palearctic and in the Nearctic. The larvae feed on aphids. Adults are usually found on the edges of woodland or scrub, heath or along hedgerows where they visit a wide range of flowers.
Tetanops is a genus of picture-winged flies in the family Ulidiidae.
Platycheirus granditarsus, the Hornhand Sedgesitter, is a species of hoverfly. It is found in many parts of Britain North America and Europe. Typical habitat includes marshy meadows and ditches, where it can be found between May and October, though it is at its commonest between July and September. The most distinctive feature of this fly is the red-orange abdomen most easily seen as it takes off or alights.
Sericomyia lappona, is a species of hoverfly. It is widespread throughout the Palearctic.
Eristalis cryptarum is a holarctic species of hoverfly. Known as the bog hoverfly or bog-dwelling drone fly, it is a bog specialist but may occur in other wetlands. Its larvae are assumed to live in peat that is saturated with water, such as that found in these boggy areas. The female has been observed depositing eggs on and close to very fresh cow dung along oligotrophic seepages in moorland.
Eriozona syrphoides is a European species of hoverfly. A large, bee mimic The thorax has black hairs in the middle and yellow or reddish hairs on the front and hind margins. The scutellum is white to yellow with yellow hairs. The abdomen has white hairs in front, black in the middle and has red hairs at the tip. The wing has a dark patch. The habitat is Picea, Abies forest. It is arboreal descending to feed on white umbellifers, Centaurea, Cirsium, Crataegus, Epilobium, Hypericum, Ranunculus, Sambucus nigra, Sorbus aucuparia, Succisa, Valeriana. It ranges from Fennoscandia south to France and from Ireland eastwards through Central Europe and northern Italy into European Russia and the Russian Far East and on through Siberia to the Pacific coast. The larva feeds on aphids.
Criorhina floccosa, is a species of hoverfly. It is found in many parts of the Palearctic including Europe.
Paragus haemorrhous,the Black-backed Grass Skimmer is a common widespread species of hoverfly found in many parts of Europe, Africa and the Nearctic. Hoverflies can remain nearly motionless in flight. The adults are also known as flower flies for they are commonly found on flowers from which they get both energy-giving nectar and protein-rich pollen. The larvae are predators on aphids.
Eumerus strigatus,, the Onion Bulb Fly, is a fairly common species of syrphid fly observed across Europe. Also found in north-central North America and other scattered locations as an introduced species from infested bulbs. Syrphid flies are also known as hover flies or flower flies because the adults are frequently found hovering around flowers from which they feed on nectar and pollen. The larvae feed on various bulbs.
Loxocera aristata is a species of fly and member of the family Psilidae.
Hartigiola annulipes is a species of midge fly in the family Cecidomyiidae, found in the Palearctic. The fly was first described by Theodor Hartig in 1839. The larvae gall the leaves of beech.
Lonchaea chorea is a species of fly in the family Lonchaeidae. It is found in the Palearctic. The larva develops in cow dung.
Chamaemyia flavipalpis is a species of fly in the family Chamaemyiidae. It is found in the Palearctic. and North Africa.
Phytomyza ranunculi is a species of fly in the family Agromyzidae. It is found in the Palearctic.
Cheilosia longula is a Palearctic hoverfly.
Lejogaster tarsata is a Palearctic hoverfly
Mallota cimbiciformis is a Palearctic hoverfly.
