An Iridescent Bromeliad Fly (group) in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/28/2015). Determined to Copestylum vesicularium group by Kelsey J.R.P. Byers and Martin Hauser/BugGuide.
Uncommon. In Maryland it flies mostly June through September.
Description
Identifiable from photos with care. Note pale abdominal base in contrast to the dark base of the similar C. barei. Superficially similar to some non-Syrphidae, such as greenbottle flies (Lucilia sp.), but when at rest wings are stacked rather than separated at an angle, among many other distinctions.
Relationships
This is a large but mostly neotropical genus. Larvae of most species live in bromeliads, as the common name suggests (Skevington, 2019), but they can develop in various kinds of decaying vegetable matter (BugGuide). Adults visit a variety of flowers.
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An Iridescent Bromeliad Fly in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (7/3/2020). (c) Sergei Drovetski, all rights reserved.
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Sergei Drovetski.
An Iridescent Bromeliad Fly (group) in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/28/2015). Determined to Copestylum vesicularium group by Kelsey J.R.P. Byers and Martin Hauser/BugGuide.
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Emily Stanley.
An Iridescent Bromeliad Fly in Prince George's Co., Maryland (6/14/2017). Determined by Bob Biagi and Martin Hauser via BugGuide.
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Jesse Christopherson.
An Iridescent Bromeliad Fly in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (7/21/2021). (c) Hugh McGuinness, all rights reserved.
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Hugh McGuinness.
Copestylum vesicularium, the irridescent bromeliad fly, is a species of syrphid fly in the family Syrphidae. This species is widely distributed on the eastern half of North America.[1][2][3]