Chloromyia formosa

Chloromyia formosa
Chloromyia formosa, male on Euphorbia species
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Hexapoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Family:	Stratiomyidae
Genus:	Chloromyia
Species:	C. Formosa
Binomial name
Chloromyia formosa (Scopoli, 1763)

Chloromyia formosa is a species of 'Soldier Flies' belonging to the family Stratiomyidae.

This species is present in most of Europe, in the Near East, in the Nearctic ecozone and in North Africa.

Chloromyia formosa, female

The adults grow up to 8–10 millimetres (0.31–0.39 in) long and can mostly be encountered from April through August in moist forests and meadows, feeding on nectar of flowers (mainly of Apiaceae species).

Their body is elongated, the thorax is metallic green, the head is hemispherical without hair, while the eyes are quite hairy. Antennae are short, the first antennal segment is longer than the second. The legs are black, only the knees are yellow. The abdomen is flattened and broad, blue-green in females, with a copper-green sheen in males. The wings are yellowish-brown.

The larvae develop in humus-rich soil, feeding on dead leaves and other decaying vegetal substances.

References

• Rozkošný, R. 1998. Chapter 24. Family Stratiomyidae. Manual Palaearct. Dipt. 2: 387-411.
• Woodley, N. E. 2001. A World Catalog of the Stratiomyidae (Insecta: Diptera). Myia 11: 1-473. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden

External links

• Biolib
• Commanster