Microdon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Microdon |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Microdon mutabilis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Superfamily: |
Syrphoidea
|
| Family: | |
| Subfamily: |
Microdontinae
|
| Genus: |
Microdon
Meigen, 1803
|
Microdon is a special group of hoverflies. These flies are unique because they are myrmecophiles. This means they live inside ant colonies or nests.
There are over 350 different species of Microdon flies around the world. Most of these flies live in warm, tropical places. About 30 species can be found in North America.
Contents
What Do Microdon Flies Look Like?
Adult Microdon flies are quite hairy. They often look a lot like bees. These flies are usually between 8 and 15 millimeters long. Their antennae are nearly as long as their face.
Microdon flies can have black or light-colored hairs. Their bodies might be black, or they can be a shiny metallic green or blue.
How Are Microdon Larvae Different?
The larvae (young forms) of Microdon flies look very unusual. They are round and stout, like small slugs. For a long time, scientists thought they were mollusks or scale insects. These larvae move very slowly.
What Do Microdon Flies Do?
Unlike many other hoverflies, adult Microdon flies do not usually fly around flowers. Instead, they stay close to the ant colonies where they grew up.
Where Do Microdon Larvae Live?
Microdon larvae can be found deep inside ant nests. Some of these larvae eat ant larvae. Other Microdon larvae are scavengers. This means they eat dead plants or insects found in the ant colony. Most Microdon larvae can only live in the nest of one specific type of ant.
Images for kids
-
Microdon eggeri, larva, third instar
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Microdon (insecto) para niños
