''Myopa dorsalis'' is a species belonging to the family Conopidae subfamily Myopinae.

Distribution

''Myopa dorsalis'' is present in most of Europe ( Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, The Netherlands and in

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

).Fauna europaea
/ref> This species can also be found from North Africa to India and in Iran.Samad Khaghaninia and Farzaneh Kazeran
Contribution to the knowledge of thick-headed flies (Dip.; Conopidae) of Iran II: Myopinae, Sicinae & Zodioninae
/ref>

Description

''Myopa dorsalis'' can reach a length of . This fly is one of the biggest European conopids and it is not a very common insect, likewise almost all conopids. The body is mainly reddish-brown, mesonotum is black, while scutellum is reddish. The head is quite large and inflated-looking, with a kind of bubble at the front and short antennae, the snout is elongated with narrow white cheeks. The large eyes are reddish. The abdomen is reddish brown and it is usually folded forward when the fly is in resting position. Tergites 4 and 5 are largely dusted. Legs are completely yellowish brown. Wings are hyaline, without black markings.Mark van Veen

/ref> It can be distinguished from ''

Sicus ''Sicus'' is a genus of flies from the family Conopidae. Species *'' S. abdominalis'' Kröber, 1915 *'' S. alpinus'' Stuke, 2002 *'' S. caucasicus '' Zimina, 1963 *'' S. chvalai'' Stuke, 2004 *'' S. ferrugineus'' (Linnaeus Carl Linnae ...

'' species by its longer cheeks.

Biology

The adults can be encountered feeding on nectar of many species of flowering plants. Their larvae are

endoparasites Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson ha ...

of Hymenoptera aculeata.

References

* Smith, K. G. V. (1969) - Diptera: Conopidae - Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects {{Taxonbar, from=Q6947991 Conopidae Insects described in 1794 Taxa named by Carl Fredrik Fallén Endoparasites