Syrphid fly, Michigan orchards

Integrated pest management resources for Michigan

IPM Scouting in Stone Fruits

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Syrphid fly


Syrphid fly adults resemble bees, but have one pair of wings. They have the habit of hovering in the air (hover flies).	Syrphid fly larva are usually greenish, legless maggots, rounded at the rear, and tapering to a point at the head (5-10 mm). Found in aphid colonies.

Additional information

About natural enemies (from Fruit Crop Ecology and Management)
More about syrphid flies (From Identifying natural enemies)
For more monitoring information and evaluation of available pesticides:
Michigan Fruit Management Guide
MSU Diagnostic Services for assistance in pest identification.
MSU Fruit Crop Advisory Team Alert newsletters for current pest/crop conditions.

This information was developed from A Pocket Guide for IPM Scouting in Stone Fruits by David Epstein, Larry J. Gut, Alan L. Jones and Kimberly Maxson-Stein. Purchase this in a pocket-sized guide for reference in the orchard from MSU Extension (publication E-2840).

The MSU IPM Program maintains this site as an access point to pest management information at MSU. The IPM Program is administered within the Department of Entomology, fueled by research from the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, delivered to citizens through MSU Extension, and proud to be a part of Project GREEEN.
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Updated 7/24/07