Variable Duskyface Fly Melanostoma mellinum (Linnaeus, 1758)    
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Diptera   >   Family Syrphidae   >   Genus Melanostoma   

Status:

Widespread and abundant in northern North America, but infrequently recorded from Maryland. This may be at least in part because it is not especially distinctive. Found in mixed woodlands and damp meadows, where it feeds on grass pollen and other flowers.

Description:

The only nearctic member of its genus. Males typically have yellow quadrate markings on the abdomen; female markings are triangular (Skevington, 2019). Genus Platycheirus is similar, but this species can be identified from photos with care.

Relationships:

Larvae feed on aphids.

There are 22 records in the project database.

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A female Variable Duskyface Fly in Calvert Co., Maryland (6/11/2016). Determined by Bill Dean/BugGuide. Photo by Steve Scholnick. (MBP list)

A female Variable Duskyface Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/11/2021). Confirmed by Bill Dean at BugGuide.net. Photo by Jim Moore. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (5/28/2022). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (8/27/2022). (c) Jim Moore (Maryland), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jim Moore. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Garrett Co., Maryland (6/23/2014). Determined by Kelsey J.R.P. Byers/BugGuide. Photo by Tim Martin. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Prince George's Co., Maryland (6/23/2021). Verified by Bill Dean/BugGuide. Photo by Barbara Thurlow. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Baltimore Co., Maryland (9/4/2021). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A male Variable Duskyface Fly in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/28/2018). Determined by Ken Wolgemuth/BugGuide. Photo by Emily Stanley. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/10/2021). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Prince George's Co., Maryland (4/3/2021). (c) Sergei Drovetski, all rights reserved. Photo by Sergei Drovetski. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (5/28/2022). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (9/18/2023). (c) maragay, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by maragay via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/12/2021). (c) Zachary Dankowicz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Zachary Dankowicz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Baltimore City, Maryland (5/31/2010). Determined by Kelsey J.R.P. Byers/BugGuide. Photo by Thomas Wilson. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/30/2022). (c) maragay, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by maragay via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/30/2022). (c) maragay, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by maragay via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Howard Co., Maryland (4/22/2018). (c) Timothy Reichard, all rights reserved. Photo by Timothy Reichard. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Howard Co., Maryland (4/22/2018). (c) Timothy Reichard, all rights reserved. Photo by Timothy Reichard. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/12/2021). (c) Zachary Dankowicz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Zachary Dankowicz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/5/2020). No rights reserved. Photo by Jennifer Siegmann via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/27/2018). (c) Sean, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Sean via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/27/2018). (c) Sean, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Sean via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/7/2021). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/30/2022). (c) maragay, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by maragay via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/30/2022). (c) maragay, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by maragay via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (5/28/2022). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/21/2022). (c) Rin Wolfe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA). Photo by rinwolfe via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/21/2022). (c) Rin Wolfe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA). Photo by rinwolfe via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (8/27/2022). (c) Jim Moore (Maryland), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jim Moore. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/25/2022). (c) Katie Woods, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Katie Woods via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/25/2022). (c) Katie Woods, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Katie Woods via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/25/2022). (c) Katie Woods, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Katie Woods via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/25/2022). (c) Katie Woods, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Katie Woods via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/25/2022). (c) Katie Woods, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Katie Woods via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (5/28/2023). (c) Manoli Strecker, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Manoli Strecker via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (5/28/2023). (c) Manoli Strecker, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Manoli Strecker via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Montgomery Co., Maryland (5/28/2023). (c) Manoli Strecker, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Manoli Strecker via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Garrett Co., Maryland (6/10/2023). (c) aaronr, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Aaron via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Variable Duskyface Fly in Garrett Co., Maryland (6/10/2023). (c) aaronr, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Aaron via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


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