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| | | Yellow swarming fly | | The yellow swarming fly (Thaumatomyia notata), of the order Diptera and the suborder Brachycera, belongs to the family frit flies (Chloropidae) and to the genus Thaumatomyia. This species is common and widespread in Europe and Asia. | | |
| | | The yellow swarming fly reaches body lengths of up to 2 mm. Its body is yellow with black markings. Its head is very broad and there is a round black spot on a yellow background between its compound eyes. The spot is located in a wedge-shaped strip of dark hair, which tapers towards the front. On the yellow thorax are 3 wide, black stripes lengthwise. The stripe in the middle reaches from the neck to the scutellum. The outer stripes are shorter. Beside each outer stripe is one more black stripe which is much thinner and only half as long. The yellow swarming fly’s wings are transparent and extend far beyond the end of its abdomen in resting position. The wings are well developed, unlike those of other frit fly species. The halteres are white. The scutellum is yellow and has no markings. On the upper surface of the abdomen, which is yellow, are 4 black crossways. The legs are a weak brownish-yellow colour.
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| | | | Yellow swarming flies are encountered mainly in grasslands. When they are on the hunt for habitats to overwinter, they sometimes appear in swarms of millions (mostly females) in residencial and other buildings. Each year they return to the same buildings. The reasons for this are uncertain. The adult flies overwinter without food. | | |
| | | | The females lay their eggs in spring, on grasses where their larvae then develop . The larvae of yellow swarming flies feed rapaciously on some species of Pseudococcidae and on aphids. They pupate in the soil. Some of the pupae overwinter there. The life expectancy of the yellow swarming fly is 4 to 6 months. They are only considered pests then they occur in large numbers. | | |
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| | | Description of images / photos | | 1. | Yellow swarming fly - Thaumatomyia notata | | 2. | Fly - Thaumatomyia notata - Yellow swarming fly | | 3. | Yellow swarming fly eating from a Bibionidae | | 4. | Yellow swarming flies are Scavengers | | 5. | Thaumatomyia notata - side view | | 6. | Yellow swarming fly - rear view |
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