Microdon (genus)

An ant dependent hover fly at Amaroo, ACT

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Identification history

	Microdon (genus)	7 May 2025	MichaelMulvaney
	Formicidae (family)	8 Feb 2025	Hejor1

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User's notes

under tree bark. The larvae are in the sleeping bag/container things and were hastily moved when I disturbed them.

4 comments

Hejor1 wrote:

4 May 2025

@MichaelMulvaney and @JonLewis do you think this could be Microdon pupal cases which the ants seem to be hanging around or repurposing? Multiple cases had larvae in them which were carried away when I peeled the bark back.
https://www.antwiki.org/wiki/Microdon#/media/File%3AMicrodon_(Syrphidae)_empty_pupal_case%2C_Cape_Otway%2C_Victoria%2C_Australia_(Nick_Porch).jpg

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

5 May 2025

Yes Heather very much looks liek it and helps with some other sightings that I didn't have a clue what they where - will wait Jon's views

JonLewis wrote:

6 May 2025

@Hejor1 @MichaelMulvaney
This is a very interesting sighting. I knew nothing about this genus of hover flies and certainly had no idea that they are ant parasites. From a quick search it looks like there is not much information on the host ants, which here I would guess are Technomyrmex. When I get back in the office (some weeks away) I’ll do a bit more research. How did you know they were Microdon pupal cases Hejor?

Hejor1 wrote:

7 May 2025

@JonLewis awesome! I posted it on Reddit and credit goes to u/Biophiloa_curiosus who made the ID in r/Entomology.

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Location information

Coordinates 149.129328 -35.174036
Altitude 617.5m
Maps Yerrabi Pond
Places Amaroo, ACT

Sighting information

16 - 100 Abundance
8 Feb 2025 12:53 PM Recorded on
Hejor1 Recorded by
Collections
Hejor1 NatureMapr Canberra & Southern Tablelands Hover flies (Syrphidae) True flies (Diptera) Insects

Additional information

Larvae or nymphs Breeding behaviour
Less than 5mm Animal size

Species information

Microdon (genus) Scientific name
An ant dependent hover fly Common name
Not Sensitive
Local native
Non-invasive or negligible
617.48m Recorded at altitude
Machine learning

Record quality

Images or audio
More than one media file
Verified by an expert moderator
Nearby sighting(s) of same species
GPS evidence of location
Description
Additional attributes

Australian Capital Territory

New South Wales

Queensland

Northern Territory

Western Australia

South Australia

Victoria

Tasmania