Numbers
The genus Chrysopilus is cosmopolitan, with about 110 species worldwide and 30 in North America. (See SEL-USDA under Internet References.)
Nearctica.com lists 32 North American species in the genus.
North Carolina State University Entomology Collection lists 11 species for that state, most frequent in the collection being fasciatus, ornata, and thoracica (called thoracicus in most references).
Identification
Medium-sized or small flies (about the size of a house fly), usually (or always?) with golden pubescence on abdomen or thorax. Some resemble hymenoptera. Typically seen perching on vegetation in woodlands.
Food
Adults predaceous, according to some references, but this is doubted by others.
Life Cycle
Larvae live in soil or rotting wood. They may be predaceous, or perhaps are detritivores.
Remarks
Chrysopilus means "golden-haired" or something close. Little is known about this genus, and the Rhagionidae in general.
Print References
Milne and Milne have a color photo of one species.
(1)Internet References
A critical review of some of the older literature, is at:
USDA Systematic Entomology Laboratory (SEL-USDA)
Contributed by
Cotinis on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Last updated 2 May, 2004 - 7:08am
