Mydas Fly, Miltinus sp

Alice Springs Fauna •

Alice Springs DipteraGreen Blowfly Australiphthiria sp (Bee Fly) Mydas Fly, Miltinus sp Robber Fly, Bathypogon sp Soldier Flies (Odontomyia) Stiletto Fly (Agapophytus yeatesi) Yellow-shouldered Hover Fly, Ischiodon scutellaris

From the order Diptera, this Mydas Fly, belongs to the genus Miltinus, family Mydidae. This family of flies is a small group that are usually large in size, some varying in length from 9 to 60 mm in body length.

The Mydas Fly family are sometimes called flower flies, in that they feed on pollen and nectar (usually from native plants).

Many of the species in the group are mimics of stinging hymenopterans, especially wasps. They are found in arid and semi arid regions, although they are also found in other habitats.

The Miltinus fly pictured here was rescued from a swimming pool in Alice Springs, and measured approximately 2.5 cm in length.

---

• Scientific classification
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Subphylum: Hexapoda
• Class: Insecta
• Informal: Pterygotes
• Order: Diptera
• Suborder: Brachycera
• Informal: Orthorrhapha
• Superfamily: Asiloidea
• Family: Mydidae
• Subfamily: Apiophorinae
• Genus: Miltinus
• Species:
  • Miltinus atripennis Paramonov, 1955
  • Miltinus atripes Paramonov, 1950
  • Miltinus brunneus Paramonov, 1961
  • Miltinus cardinalis Gerstaecker, 1868
  • Miltinus cinctus Paramonov, 1955
  • Miltinus commoni Paramonov, 1950
  • Miltinus confrater Paramonov, 1955
  • Miltinus dentipennis Mackerras, 1928
  • Miltinus entipennis Mackerras, 1928
  • Miltinus insularis Paramonov, 1961
  • Miltinus maculipennis (Westwood, 1841)
  • Miltinus minutus Mackerras, 1928
  • Miltinus musgravei Mackerras, 1928
  • Miltinus norrisi Paramonov, 1950
  • Miltinus parviduatus Paramonov, 1950
  • Miltinus rieki Paramonov, 1950
  • Miltinus sordidus (Westwood, 1848)
  • Miltinus stenogaster (Westwood, 1841)
  • Miltinus tenuis Mackerras, 1928
  • Miltinus varipes (Macquart, 1850)
  • Miltinus viduatus (Westwood, 1835)
    
    (At time of writing, Atlas of LIving Australia has 21 listed species)

---

---

Alice Springs DipteraGreen Blowfly Australiphthiria sp (Bee Fly) Mydas Fly, Miltinus sp Robber Fly, Bathypogon sp Soldier Flies (Odontomyia) Stiletto Fly (Agapophytus yeatesi) Yellow-shouldered Hover Fly, Ischiodon scutellaris

Alice Springs InsectsAntlion (Heoclisis fundata) Ants (Formicidae) Bees Beetles Butterflies & Moths (Lepidopterans) Diptera Dragonflies Orthoptera True Bugs (Heteroptera) Wasps

Alice Springs FaunaAlice Springs Native Bees Alice Springs Beetles Alice Springs Birds Alice Springs Gastropods (Gastropoda) Alice Springs Insects Alice Springs Marsupials Alice Springs Reptiles Alice Springs Spiders

Alice Springs FloraAlice Springs Flora Index Acacia ligulata Annual Yellowtop Apple Bush Bougainvillea Burdekin Plum Carob Tree (Ceratonia siliqa) Cattle Bush Desert Cotton (Aerva javanica) Desert Oak Eremophila Wildberry Feijoa sellowiana Flannel Cudweed Fork-leaf Corkwood Ghost Gum Golden Everlasting Kurrajong Lemon-flowered Gum MacDonnell’s Desert Fuchsia Native Bluebell Native Tomato Needlewood Olive Tree Perennial Yellow Top Rat’s Tail River Red Gum Inland River Red Gum Rosy Dock Round-leaved Mallee Scurvy Grass Silky Eremophila Stemodia viscosa Striped Mintbush Sturt’s Desert Pea Sturt’s Desert Rose Tangled Leschenaultia Tar Vine Weeping Bottlebrush White Cedar Yellow Billybutton Yellow-keeled Swainsona Yellow Oleander

Alice SpringsAlice Springs Accommodation Alice Springs Pet Friendly Accommodation Alice Springs Art & Culture Alice Springs Attractions Alice Springs Directory Alice Springs Distance Alice Springs Festival & Events Alice Springs Flora and Fauna Alice Springs Fauna Alice Springs Flora Getting Around Alice Springs Alice Springs Aboriginal Tours Alice Springs Tours Alice Springs Tours – Other