Bug FAQShort-tailed Aphideater
Eupeodes pomus · Order: Diptera · Family: Syrphidae
The short-tailed aphideater is a syrphid fly found across North America. Adults visit flowers for nectar and pollen, while larvae feed on aphids.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
These flies are commonly seen on flowers where they feed.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Adult flies take energy-giving nectar and protein-rich pollen from flowers. The larvae prey on various aphids.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
They are observed throughout North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 37 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Ohio, Michigan, Maryland, Virginia.
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
More photos
Questions people ask
What do adult short-tailed aphideaters eat?
Adults feed on nectar and pollen from flowers.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Syrphidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eupeodes_pomus
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.