Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) ➔ Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods) ➔ Class Insecta (Insects) ➔ Order Diptera (True flies) ➔ Family Syrphidae (Hoverflies)

Eristalis (Eristalis) tenax (Linnaeus, 1758)

Mistbiene Common Drone Fly

Synonyms and other combinations:

Conops vulgaris Scopoli, 1763 | Eristalis alpinus Strobl, 1893 | Eristalis campestris Meigen, 1822 | Eristalis claripes Abreu, 1924 | Eristalis cognatus Wiedemann, 1824 | Eristalis columbica Macquart, 1855 | Eristalis hortorum Meigen, 1822 | Eristalis sinensis Wiedemann, 1824 | Eristalis sylvaticus Meigen, 1822 | Eristalis ventralis Thomson, 1869 | Eristalis vulpinus Meigen, 1822 | Musca apiformis Geoffroy, 1785 |

  • Eristalis tenax, female 600
    Eristalis tenax (Linnaeus, 1758)  Mistbiene  Common Drone Fly 
    Eristalis tenax, female
    BG, Naturpark Zlatni Piassatzi; 2008-09-01 09:41:39
    Image number: 600
    female
    BG, Naturpark Zlatni Piassatzi
    2008-09-01 09:41:39
  • Eristalis tenax, male 622
    Eristalis tenax (Linnaeus, 1758)  Mistbiene  Common Drone Fly 
    Eristalis tenax, male
    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2007-07-22 14:25:48
    Image number: 622
    male
    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
    2007-07-22 14:25:48
  • Eristalis tenax, female 616
    Eristalis tenax (Linnaeus, 1758)  Mistbiene  Common Drone Fly 
    Eristalis tenax, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2005-09-14 12:18:20
    Image number: 616
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2005-09-14 12:18:20
  • Eristalis tenax, female 617
    Eristalis tenax (Linnaeus, 1758)  Mistbiene  Common Drone Fly 
    Eristalis tenax, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2005-09-14 12:18:00
    Image number: 617
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2005-09-14 12:18:00
  • Eristalis tenax, female 11132
    Eristalis tenax (Linnaeus, 1758)  Mistbiene  Common Drone Fly 
    Eristalis tenax, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2023-10-10 14:50:29
    Image number: 11132
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
    2023-10-10 14:50:29
  • Eristalis tenax, female 11133
    Eristalis tenax (Linnaeus, 1758)  Mistbiene  Common Drone Fly 
    Eristalis tenax, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2023-10-10 14:50:11
    Image number: 11133
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
    2023-10-10 14:50:11
  • Eristalis tenax, female 11134
    Eristalis tenax (Linnaeus, 1758)  Mistbiene  Common Drone Fly 
    Eristalis tenax, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2023-10-10 14:49:54
    Image number: 11134
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
    2023-10-10 14:49:54
  • Eristalis tenax, female 6984
    Eristalis tenax (Linnaeus, 1758)  Mistbiene  Common Drone Fly 
    Eristalis tenax, female
    ES, Fuerteventura, Corralejo; 2015-04-24 10:19:23
    Image number: 6984
    female
    ES, Fuerteventura, Corralejo
    2015-04-24 10:19:23
  • Eristalis tenax, female 6985
    Eristalis tenax (Linnaeus, 1758)  Mistbiene  Common Drone Fly 
    Eristalis tenax, female
    ES, Fuerteventura, Corralejo; 2015-04-24 10:23:04
    Image number: 6985
    female
    ES, Fuerteventura, Corralejo
    2015-04-24 10:23:04

Classification:
Eristalis tenax belongs to the subfamily Eristalinae, tribe Eristalini.
Distribution:
Cosmopolitan. Eristalis tenax is the most widely distributed syrphid species in the world occurring throughout Europe except in the far north.
Habitat:
Occurring in almost all habitats.
Description:
The Common Drone Fly has a body length of 14 - 16 mm. Its predominantly brown-black, shiny abdomen is variably colored. On the 2nd abdominal segment are usually 2 lateral yellow or reddish yellow spots. From other species of the same genus it can be distinguished by two striking vertical bands of dark hairs on the eyes.
Biology:
Eristalis tenax is a pronounced migrator. In Europe, the species spreads in the early summer to the north. In late summer, Eristalis tenax migrates to warmer regions. The Common Drone Fly flies from February to November. Individual overwintering females can be observed in fine weather in winter and early spring. The adults feed on nectar and pollen. They are frequent visitors of white, yellow, pink and blue flowers and make a significant contribution to the pollination of the visited plants.
The eggs are deposited on trenches, ponds and other stagnant waters with a large amount of organic nutrients. The aquatic, saprophagous larvae are also called rat tail larvae, as they have a long tail-like breathing tube at the body end. They are particularly resistant to oxygen deficiency and can live in putrefying sludge and manure pits. After leaving the water the adult larvae pupate on a drier place.

References, further reading, links:
  1. Pape T. & Thompson F.C. (eds) (2017). Systema Dipterorum (version 2.0, Jan 2011). In: Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life, 2017 Annual Checklist (Roskov Y., Abucay L., Orrell T., Nicolson D., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., DeWalt R.E., Decock W., De Wever A., Nieukerken E. van, Zarucchi J., Penev L., eds.). Digital resource at www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2017. Species 2000: Naturalis, Leiden, the Netherlands. ISSN 2405-884X.
  2. M.C.D.Speight: Species Accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera), Glasgow 2011, Syrph the Net, the database of European Syrphidae, vol. 65, 285 pp., Syrph the Net publications, Dublin.
  3. Gerald Bothe: Bestimmungsschlüssel für die Schwebfliegen (Diptera, Syrphidae) Deutschlands und der Niederlande, DJN, 1984, ISBN 3-923376-07-3
  4. Menno Reemer, Willem Renema, Wouter van Steenis, Theo Zeegers, Aat Barendregt, John T. Smit, Mark P. van Veen, Jeroen van Steenis, Laurens van der Leij: De Nederlandse Zweefvliegen (Diptera: Syrphidae), Nederlandse Fauna 8, 2009.