Bug FAQSpot-winged Drone Fly
Eristalis rupium · Order: Diptera · Family: Syrphidae
Also called: Hover fly
The spot-winged drone fly is a syrphid species first described in 1805. Its larvae live in clear streams where they filter feed, while adults visit flowers for nectar and pollen. It is common in Europe but only uncommon in North America.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Eristalis rupium is the scientific name for the spot-winged drone fly.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
The larvae are aquatic filter-feeders that live in clear-water streams.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Adult flies are often seen on flowers where they take nectar for energy. They also collect pollen as a protein source.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Eristalis rupium was first described by Fabricius in 1805.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is common throughout Europe. It is found only rarely in North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 5 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Alaska, Montana, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon.
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 the larvae of the spot-winged drone fly eat?
The larvae filter-feed in clear streams, extracting tiny particles from the water.
Source: Wikipedia
What do adult spot-winged drone flies eat?
Adults feed on flower nectar for energy and on pollen for protein.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the spot-winged drone fly found?
It is common in Europe and only uncommon in North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Syrphidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eristalis_rupium
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-29 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-29.