Phaonia pallida explained

Phaonia pallida, the muscid fly or orange muscid fly, is a species of fly in the family Muscidae.^[1]

Distribution and habitat

This species is distributed across parts of the Palearctic – Europe (including Sicily and the Azores), Russia, and Asia (Israel, Turkey, and Iran).^{[2] [3]} These flies mainly inhabit deciduous forests and woodland, especially spruce forest edge.

Description

Phaonia pallida can reach a length of about 5.5-. These flies have an orange body with a very hairy thorax.^{[4] [5]} The antennae are composed by three articles and bear a feathery arista. The legs and the balancers are yellow, while the tarsi are black. The eyes are dark red, separated by a yellow marking in the females, while in males they are very close to each other.^[6]

Biology

Adults fly from May to September, feeding on nectar of flowers (especially of Heracleum sphondylium).^{[4] [5] [6]} Its larvae have been found growing in various fungi (Amanita rubescens, Clitocybe nebularis, Paralepista flaccida, Xerula radicata, Hymenopellis radicata, Amanita muscaria) ^[6] but also in rotten wood and under tree bark.^{[5] [7]} The last larval instar of Phaonia pallida is carnivorous, feeding on small insects.^{[5] [8]}

Bibliography

• Chandler, Peter J. (2010). A Dipterist's Handbook (2nd Edition). The Amateur Entomologist. 15. Orpington, Kent, England: Amateur Entomologists' Society. pp. 525pp
• D'Assis Fonseca, E.C.M (1968). Diptera Cyclorrhapha Calyptrata: Muscidae. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. 10. London.: Royal Entomological Society of London. pp. 118pp.
• Gregor, F.; Rozkosny, R.; Bartak, M.; Vanhara, J. (2002). The Muscidae (Diptera) of Central Europe. Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Masarykianae Brunensis. 107. Masaryk.: Masaryk University. pp. 280pp.

Notes and References

1. https://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id122090/ BioLib
2. http://www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2011/details/species/id/8731734 Catalogue of life
3. https://fauna-eu.org/cdm_dataportal/taxon/8ad43e98-5054-4c3e-80d5-34944e6438f8 Fauna europaea
4. https://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/phaonia-pallida Nature Spot
5. J.K. Lindsey Commanster
6. http://unmondedansmonjardin.free.fr/EN/pages_EN/phaonia_pallida_EN.htm Un monde dans mon jardin
7. Book: Chandler, Peter J.. 2010. A Dipterist's Handbook. 525pp. Amateur Entomologists' Society. The Amateur Entomologist. 15. Orpington, Kent, England. 2nd.
8. Jan Sevck Diptera (excluding Mycetophilidae S. str.) associated with fungi in Czech and Slovak Republics: a survey of rearing records from 1998-2000