Bug FAQBlack-horned Pufftail
Sphegina rufiventris · Order: Diptera · Family: Syrphidae
The Black-horned Pufftail is a common syrphid fly in the northeastern United States. Its larvae develop in wet, decaying sap under bark, often in damp wood or partially submerged wood in streams. Adults visit flowers for nectar and pollen, and they can hover almost motionless in flight.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Adults feed on flower nectar for energy and pollen for protein.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Hoverflies, including this species, can remain nearly motionless while flying.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Sphegina rufiventris is native to and commonly observed in the northeastern United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 11 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Pennsylvania, Maine, Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, Illinois, Vermont, New York.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
Questions people ask
Where are Black-horned Pufftails found?
They are common in the northeastern United States and their larvae live in wet, decaying sap under bark in damp wood or submerged wood in streams.
Source: Wikipedia
What do adult Black-horned Pufftails eat?
Adults visit flowers to drink nectar and collect pollen.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Syrphidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphegina_rufiventris
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.