Sicus


Sicus ferrugineus, from www.faunistik.net.

 

Introduction

Sicus are brownish flies that dwell in herb vegetations, often as fringes of forest or roads. It prefers parts with a lot of Cirsium arvensis. Females are spotted while jumping from leaf to leaf, using their wings only for a short while. Males are willing to mate with every other Sicus, resulting in towers of males on a single female. Thair larvae are endoparasites of bumble bees and have been found in Bombus terrestris, B. pascuorum, B. hortorum and B. lapidarius.

Recognition

Sicus are large, reddish brown Conopid flies. Their wing basis is whitish, while the median part of the wing is darkened. They resemble the clear winged Myopa-species, especially Myopa dorsata, the largest species. However, the face of Myopa is greatly extended below the eyes, in contrast to Sicus.

Key
1.a. Females. Theca small and flat, hardly visible in side view. 8-10 mm. -> Sicus ferrugineus Linnaeus
Jizz: Large and brownish, wing whitish on basal part. Males can form 'tower' on single female.

1.b. Females. Theca clearly projecting and visible in side view -> 2


Sicus ferrugineus, female, from Bioimages.

2.a. Abdomen: tergite 2 more than 1.5 times as long as wide. -> Sicus fusenensis Ouchi

2.b. Abdomen: tergite 2 as long as wide or only marginally longer. -> Sicus abdominalis Kröber

Literature

Van der Goot. 1977. Roof- en Blaaskopvliegentabel. Jeugdbondsuitgeverij, Utrecht.

Van Veen M. 1984. De Blaaskopvliegen en roofvliegen van Nederland en België. Jeugdbondsuitgeverij, Utrecht.

Last updated 24.10.2004