THE INSECTS OF CEDAR CREEK

Cedar Creek
Natural History Area

Insects of Cedar Creek

Order DIPTERA

Family SARCOPHAGIDAE

(Flesh Flies)

(Table of Species)

The Flesh Flies (327 NA spp) are bristly gray and black flies lacking a postscutellum. Adults feed at flowers for nectar, and the males are said to have 'stations' where they wait for passing females. Many of the species larviposit--laying eggs about to hatch on the larval food source. Two subfamilies are recognized. The Miltogramminae feed on the provisions of bee and wasp larvae. These generally tiny flies can sometimes be seen at wasp burrows while the female wasp is working. The Sarcophaginae are larger and have diverse habits. Some feed in carrion or dung while others are parasitic on various insects (grasshoppers, caterpillars), and a few feed at open wounds in vertebrates. Perhaps 25 species have been collected at Cedar Creek.

MILTOGRAMMINAE
Most of the Miltogramminae collected belong to the genus Senotainia (incl. trilineata). Others genera collected include Taxigramma, Amobia, Metopia, Brachicoma, Anicia?, and Gymnoprosopa?. As mentioned above, these flies are kleptoparasites on the provisions of bees and wasps.

SARCOPHAGINAE
The dominant genus in this subfamily is Sarcophaga. Numerous subgenera have been recognized and are considered by some authorities as distinct genera. Those collected at Cedar Creek include: Neobellieria, Robineauiella, Bellieria, and Bercaeopsis. Most of the species in these subgenera feed at carrion. Other genera collected include Blaesoxipha (sg Blaesoxipha, Servaisia, Acridiophaga), Boettcheria, Helicobia, Sarcodexia, Protodexia hunteri, Sarcotachina sinuata, Ravinia, and Chaetoravinia. Most of the species in these groups are parasitic on other insects (eg. Acridiophaga on grasshoppers). I thank Dan Hansen for determining a number of the species in this subfamily.

jhaar@lter.umn.edu