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Hoverfly
Hoverflies, also called flower flies or syrphids, make up the insect family Syrphidae. As their common name suggests, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults of many species feed mainly on nectar and pollen, while the larvae ( maggots) eat a wide range of foods. In some species, the larvae are saprotrophs, specifically detritivores, eating decaying plant and animal matter in the soil or in ponds and streams. In other species, the larvae are insectivores, preying on aphids, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects. Insects such as aphids are considered crop pests, so the aphid-eating larvae of some hoverflies are economically and ecologically important. The larvae are potential agents for use in biological control, while the adults are pollinators. About 6,000 species in 200 genera have been described. Hoverflies are common throughout the world and can be found on all continents except Antarctica. Hoverflies are harmless to most mammals, though many s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eupeodes Fumipennis
''Eupeodes fumipennis'', the western aphideater, is a species of hover fly in the family Syrphidae. As the common name implies, larvae prey on plant-sucking insects, primarily aphids Aphids are small sap-sucking insects in the Taxonomic rank, family Aphididae. Common names include greenfly and blackfly, although individuals within a species can vary widely in color. The group includes the fluffy white Eriosomatinae, woolly .... Like other members of the family, adults often hover over the plants they visit. , Eupeodes_fumipennis-female_hovering.jpg, Female hovering References Syrphini Articles created by Qbugbot Insects described in 1869 {{syrphidae-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aphid
Aphids are small sap-sucking insects in the Taxonomic rank, family Aphididae. Common names include greenfly and blackfly, although individuals within a species can vary widely in color. The group includes the fluffy white Eriosomatinae, woolly aphids. A typical life cycle involves flightless females giving Viviparity, live birth to female Nymph (biology), nymphs—who may also be already Pregnancy, pregnant, an adaptation scientists call telescoping generations—without the involvement of males. Developmental biology, Maturing rapidly, females breed profusely so that the number of these insects multiplies quickly. Alate, Winged females may develop later in the season, allowing the insects to colonize new plants. In Temperate climate, temperate regions, a phase of sexual reproduction occurs in the autumn, with the insects often overwintering as eggs. The life cycle of some species involves an alternation between two species of host plants, for example between an annual crop and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Biological Control
Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, whether pest animals such as insects and mites, weeds, or pathogens affecting animals or plants by using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms, but typically also involves an active human management role. It can be an important component of integrated pest management (IPM) programs. There are three basic strategies for biological control: classical (importation), where a natural enemy of a pest is introduced in the hope of achieving control; inductive (augmentation), in which a large population of natural enemies are administered for quick pest control; and inoculative (conservation), in which measures are taken to maintain natural enemies through regular reestablishment. Natural enemies of insects play an important part in limiting the densities of potential pests. Biological control agents such as these include predators, parasitoids, pathogens, and co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pipizinae
The Pipizinae is a subfamily of hoverflies. Pipizinae was formerly considered a tribe within Eristalinae, but a phylogenetic analysis published in 2015 suggested it should be ranked as a separate subfamily, sister to the Syrphinae. Its members are small to medium-sized and generally black, although some species also have orange spots on their abdomen. The larvae feed on aphids, though they seem to have a preference for wax-secreting aphids, e.g. Pemphigidae. Genera *'' Claussenia'' Vujić & Ståhls, 2013 *'' Cryptopipiza'' Mutin, 1998 *'' Heringia'' Rondani, 1856 *'' Neocnemodon'' Goffe, 1944 *†'' Oligopipiza'' Nidergas, Hadrava & Nel, 2018 (a fossil genus from Middle Oligocene ~28 MYR-BP) *''Pipiza ''Pipiza'' is a genus Hoverfly, Hoverflies, from the family Syrphidae, in the order Diptera. Most are dark hoverflies. Biology Larvae are feeders on gall forming aphids. Species References {{Authority control Diptera of Europe Dipte ...'' Fallén, 1810 *'' Pipizel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pollen
Pollen is a powdery substance produced by most types of flowers of seed plants for the purpose of sexual reproduction. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced Gametophyte#Heterospory, microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm cells). Pollen grains have a hard coat made of sporopollenin that protects the gametophytes during the process of their movement from the stamens to the pistil of flowering plants, or from the male Conifer cone, cone to the female cone of gymnosperms. If pollen lands on a compatible pistil or female cone, it Germination, germinates, producing a pollen tube that transfers the sperm to the ovule containing the female gametophyte. Individual pollen grains are small enough to require magnification to see detail. The study of pollen is called palynology and is highly useful in paleoecology, paleontology, archaeology, and Forensic science, forensics. Pollen in plants is used for transferring Ploidy#Haploid and monoploid, haploid male genetic ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Microdontinae
The subfamily Microdontinae contains slightly more than 400 species of hoverfly, hoverflies (family Syrphidae) and, while diverse, these species share several characteristics by which they differ from other syrphids. The Microdontinae are myrmecophiles, meaning they live in the nests of ants. Larval Microdontinae are scavengers or predators in ant nests, and, in contrast to other syrphid larvae, have no readily apparent body segmentation. Some species also do not exhibit the typical adult flower-visiting behaviour of other hoverflies, but instead remain near their larval host colonies (some of these species have no functional mouthparts and cannot feed as adults). A number of genera (e.g. ''Masarygus'', ''Paragodon'', ''Schizoceratomyia'' and ''Surimyia'') lack the "spurious vein" which is characteristic of all other Syrphidae. For other distinguishing characteristics, see Thompson (1969). Genera A revised list of the genera in Microdontinae was carried out by Reemer & Ståhls (20 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Insectivore
file:Common brown robberfly with prey.jpg, A Asilidae, robber fly eating a hoverfly An insectivore is a carnivore, carnivorous animal or plant which eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which can also refer to the Entomophagy in humans, human practice of eating insects. The first vertebrate insectivores were amphibians. When they evolved 400 million years ago, the first amphibians were piscivores, with numerous sharp conical teeth, much like a modern crocodile. The same tooth arrangement is however also suited for eating animals with exoskeletons, thus the ability to eat insects can stem from piscivory. At one time, insectivorous mammals were scientific classification, scientifically classified in an order (biology), order called Insectivora. This order is now abandoned, as not all insectivorous mammals are closely related. Most of the Insectivora taxa have been reclassified; those that have not yet been reclassified and found to be truly related to each ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eristalinae
Eristalinae (or Milesiinae) are one of the four subfamilies of the fly family (biology), family Hoverfly, Syrphidae, or hoverflies. A well-known species included in this subfamily is the Eristalis tenax, common drone fly, ''Eristalis tenax''. Species in this subfamily are often misclassified as bees instead of flies due to their exceptional mimicry, especially to resemble Honeybees (family Apidae). The best strategy for proper identification is to look at their eyes and wings and compare with fly morphology, to determine membership of family Hoverfly, Syrphidae or of order Hymenoptera. Taxonomy This subfamily consists of the following tribes: * Brachyopini * Callicerini * Cerioidini * Eristalini * Sericomyiini * Eumerini * Milesiini * Rhingiini * Volucellini Gallery Brachyopa daeckei.jpg, ''Brachyopa daeckei'' actual size Sphiximorpha subsessilis, Parc de Woluwé, Brussels (34851582946).jpg, ''Sphiximorpha subsessilis'' Namaste! (8089480678).jpg, ''Palpada sp.'' Sy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nectar
Nectar is a viscous, sugar-rich liquid produced by Plant, plants in glands called nectaries, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollination, pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal Mutualism (biology), mutualists, which in turn provide plant defense against herbivory#Indirect defenses, herbivore protection. Common nectar-consuming pollinators include mosquitoes, hoverfly, hoverflies, wasps, bees, butterfly, butterflies and moths, hummingbirds, honeyeaters and Bat#Fruit and nectar, bats. Nectar is an economically important substance as it is the sugar source for honey. It is also useful in agriculture and horticulture because the adult stages of some predatory insects feed on nectar. For example, a number of predacious or Parasitoid wasp, parasitoid wasps (e.g., the social wasp species ''Apoica flavissima'') rely on nectar as a primary food source. In turn, these wasps then hunt agricultural pest insects as food ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flower
Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, modified leaves; corolla, the petals; androecium, the male reproductive unit consisting of stamens and pollen; and gynoecium, the female part, containing style and stigma, which receives the pollen at the tip of the style, and ovary, which contains the ovules. When flowers are arranged in groups, they are known collectively as inflorescences. Floral growth originates at stem tips and is controlled by MADS-box genes. In most plant species flowers are heterosporous, and so can produce sex cells of both sexes. Pollination mediates the transport of pollen to the ovules in the ovaries, to facilitate sexual reproduction. It can occur between different plants, as in cross-pollination, or between flowers on the same plant or even the same f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hover (behaviour)
Hovering is the ability exhibited by some winged animals to remain relatively stationary in midair. Usually this involves rapid downward thrusts of the wings to generate upward lift. Sometimes hovering is maintained by flapping or soaring into a headwind; this form of hovering is called "wind hovering", "windhovering", or "kiting". True hoverers Hummingbirds Hummingbirds hover over flowers to obtain nectar, flapping their wings at up to 70 beats per second. Archilochus colubris-male hovering.jpg, Ruby-throated hummingbird Calypte costae-male hovering nectaring.jpg, Costa's hummingbird Sword-billed hummingbird (male) at Guango Lodge, Ecuador (21310837273).jpg, Sword-billed hummingbird Bats Like hummingbirds, fruit bats and nectar bats hover over flowers while feeding on fruits or nectar. Comparison between bats and hummingbirds has revealed that these animals exert similar amounts of energy relative to body weight during hovering: hummingbirds can twist their wing ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Batesian Mimicry
Batesian mimicry is a form of mimicry where a harmless species has evolved to imitate the warning signals of a harmful species directed at a predator of them both. It is named after the English naturalist Henry Walter Bates, who worked on butterflies in the rainforests of Brazil. Batesian mimicry is the most commonly known and widely studied of mimicry complexes, such that the word mimicry is often treated as synonymous with Batesian mimicry. There are many other forms however, some very similar in principle, others far separated. It is often contrasted with Müllerian mimicry, a form of mutually beneficial convergence between two or more harmful species. However, because the mimic may have a degree of protection itself, the distinction is not absolute. It can also be contrasted with functionally different forms of mimicry. Perhaps the sharpest contrast here is with aggressive mimicry where a predator or parasite mimics a harmless species, avoiding detection and improving its ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
