Exaireta
Keith Bayless- Exaireta siliacea
- Exaireta spinigera
Introduction
Exaireta is a genus of distictive, elongate, blackish soldier flies. Adults of Exaireta spinigera are collected by sweeping, at lights, and in malaise traps (Woodley 1995). They are often seen at flowers or near rotting vegetation. Larval Exaireta live in a range of decayig organic matter, including rotten potatoes, sugarcane, and wounds on tree trunks. E. silacea is seldom collected.
These flies are native to Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. E. spinigera is a widespread and common introduced species in Hawaii (Woodley 1995). More recently, E. spinigera has become established in California and British Columbia (M. Hauser, pers. comm.; see Bugguide.net).
Characteristics
Exaireta is diagnosed by the presence of pilose setae on the subscutellum (Woodley 1995). They are large flies, from 8.5 to 16 mm.
References
Woodley, N. E. 1995. The genera of Beridinae (Diptera: Stratiomyidae). Memoirs of En. Soc. Wash. 16 1-231.
Woodley, N. E. 2001. A World Catalog of the Stratiomyidae (Insecta: Diptera). Myia 11: 1-473. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden.
Information on the Internet
- Bugguide.net . Image and discussion of Exaireta spinigera, newly introduced to North America.
- CSIRO Australia. Image of Exaireta spinigera.
About This Page
Keith Bayless
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Correspondence regarding this page should be directed to Keith Bayless at
Page copyright © 2008 Keith Bayless
All Rights Reserved.
- First online 28 September 2008
- Content changed 28 September 2008
Citing this page:
Bayless, Keith. 2008. Exaireta. Version 28 September 2008 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Exaireta/108508/2008.09.28 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/
