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jjsgramma Woodhull, IL(Zone 5a) Jul 18, 2009

I have these flies all over my lilies. A few on pepper plants and hibiscus. Lilies are usually covered with them. Will they hurt anything?
Thanks for any help.

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trackinsand mid central, FL(Zone 9a) Jul 18, 2009

they look more like some type of bee but i can't be sure. someone will give you an id soon but i would tend to say they would more likely be beneficial than hurtful to plants.

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themoonhowl Prairieville, LA(Zone 9a) Jul 18, 2009

They look a lot like what we call sweat bees here. I am not sure of the name, but will look. They are attracted to I guess, the salt or heat from perspiration.

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trackinsand mid central, FL(Zone 9a) Jul 18, 2009

that's funny to hear you say sweat bees. we were just talking about them yesterday and i remarked that although we had a lot of them every year in missouri, i have never seen one here in florida.

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themoonhowl Prairieville, LA(Zone 9a) Jul 18, 2009

funny coincidence. Check your memory bank, Track, do they look the same?

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trackinsand mid central, FL(Zone 9a) Jul 18, 2009

hah, THAT bank folded! lol

if it was up and running, i'd say yes, the wings look familiar.

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themoonhowl Prairieville, LA(Zone 9a) Jul 18, 2009

Know what you mean....genus not family.....wonder if I could get a gov't stimulus package for my memory bank?

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jjsgramma Woodhull, IL(Zone 5a) Jul 18, 2009

They kind of looked like it to me too but I had never seen so many in one spot as I've had this year. Here is a better picture.
Thanks for the help
jjsgramma

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claypa West Pottsgrove, PA(Zone 6b) Jul 18, 2009

I think they're signal flies, Platystomatidae, maybe genus Rivellia, but there are a lot of similar fruit flies and picture flies:

http://bugguide.net/node/view/287980/bgimage

http://bugguide.net/node/view/18172

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jjsgramma Woodhull, IL(Zone 5a) Jul 19, 2009

Thanks for the help everyone. The signal fly looks more like it than a sweat bee because of the body. They're not hurting anything so I'll let them be for now.
Thanks again

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