Microdon mutabilis

Microdon mutabilis
Microdon mutabilis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Syrphidae
Genus: Microdon
Species: M. mutabilis
Binomial name
Microdon mutabilis
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
  • Microdon apiformis(De Geer, 1776)
  • Musca apiformisDe Geer, 1776
  • Musca mutabilis Linnaeus, 1758

Microdon mutabilis, is a species of hoverfly. It is found in many parts of Britain and Europe. The distinctive almost slug-like larvae live in ants nests. They are hemispherical in shape, heavily armoured and believed prey on the eggs and larvae of a number of ant species, including Formica lemani, Formica fusca, Lasius niger and Myrmica ruginodis.[1][2]

References

  1. ^ Stubbs, Alan E. and Falk, Steven J. (1983). British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide. British Entomological & Natural History Society. pp. 253, xvpp. 
  2. ^ Van Veen, M.P. (2004) (Hardback). Hoverflies of Northwest Europe, Identification Keys to the Syrphidae. Utrecht: KNNV Publishing. pp. 254. ISBN 9050111998. 


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