DipteraDiptera Index Flies Pollinators and Flies The Eyes of Flies Australian Sheep Blowfly (Lucilia cuprina) Australian Drain Fly Balaana Beefly Bat Flies Bee Flies Bee Fly (Anthrax) Australiphthiria Ligyra Neosardus cosmus Chrysomya saffranea Clogmia (Moth Fly) Eristalinus punctulatus Musca Odontomyia (Soldier Flies) Hermetia illucens (Black Soldier Fly) Robber Flies Sarcophaga aurifrons Soldier Fly Syrphidae Syrphids Common Halfband (Melangyna viridiceps) Yellow-shouldered Stout Hover Fly (Simosyrphus grandicornis)

The Golden Native Drone Fly (Eristalinus punctulatus), also known as Spot Eyed Hoverfly, Native Drone Fly, Hoverflies, Flower Flies, and Syrphid Flies. Eristalinus punctulatus belongs to the family Syrphidae.

Golden Native Drone Fly (Eristalinus punctulatus) in swimming pool in Alice Springs NT
Female Golden Native Drone Fly (Eristalinus punctulatus) in swimming pool in Alice Springs NT

A large and bright coloured hover fly, this hover fly has four black stripes on the thorax and the abdomen is banded and spotted. The Golden Native Drone Fly also has spotted eyes.

Spotted Eye Hover Fly (Eristalinus punctulatus) © Shane Lear
Spotted Eye Hover Fly (Eristalinus punctulatus), Molong Central Tablelands NSW © Shane Lear

One of the ways to tell the male and female apart, is that the male have holoptic eyes (holoptic eyes meet along the median dorsal line of the head) and the females eyes are dichoptic (viewing a separate and independent field by each eye).

Golden Native Drone Fly (Eristalinus punctulatus) in swimming pool in Alice Springs NT
Male Golden Native Drone Fly (Eristalinus punctulatus) in swimming pool in Alice Springs NT

The Golden Native Drone Fly feeds on nectar from flowers.

Golden Native Drone Fly (Eristalinus punctulatus) in swimming pool in Alice Springs NT
Male Golden Native Drone Fly (Eristalinus punctulatus) in swimming pool in Alice Springs NT

The following Golden Native Drone Fly was retrieved from the swimming pool and by all appearance appeared deceased. It was left for an hour and then we observed it had started to move and stand up. We let it crawl onto our thumb and then placed it on a rose bush.


  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Subclass: Pterygota
  • Order: Diptera
  • Suborder: Brachycera
  • Infraorder: Cyclorrhapha
  • Zoosection: Aschiza
  • Family: Syrphidae
  • Subfamily: Eristalinae
  • Tribe: Eristalini
  • Subtribe: Eristalina
  • Genus: Eristalinus
  • Subgenus: Eristalinus
  • Species: Eristalinus punctulatus

Footnote & References

  1. Many thanks for ID to Dianne Bickers, Iskander Kaliananda and Shane Lear, members of Entomology Australia “Invertebratology”, Facebook Group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/507004496955277/
  2. Golden Native Drone Fly – Eristalinus (Lathyrophthalmus) punctulatus, Brisbane Insects and Spiders, https://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_hoverflies/NativeDroneFly.htm
  3. Native Drone Fly (Eristalinus punctulatus), OzAnimals.com, https://www.ozanimals.com/Insect/Native-Drone-Fly/Eristalinus/punctulatus.html
  4. Eristalinus punctulatus, Golden Native Drone Fly, Canberra Nature Map, https://canberra.naturemapr.org/sightings/4087215
  5. Eristalinus punctulatus, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eristalinus_punctulatus

DipteraDiptera Index Flies Pollinators and Flies The Eyes of Flies Australian Sheep Blowfly (Lucilia cuprina) Australian Drain Fly Balaana Beefly Bat Flies Bee Flies Bee Fly (Anthrax) Australiphthiria Ligyra Neosardus cosmus Chrysomya saffranea Clogmia (Moth Fly) Eristalinus punctulatus Musca Odontomyia (Soldier Flies) Hermetia illucens (Black Soldier Fly) Robber Flies Sarcophaga aurifrons Soldier Fly Syrphidae Syrphids Common Halfband (Melangyna viridiceps) Yellow-shouldered Stout Hover Fly (Simosyrphus grandicornis)

InsectsBees Beetles Blattodea Butterflies Coleoptera Cicada Crabronidae Diptera Dragonflies & Damselflies Formicidae Hemiptera Heteroptera Moths Orthoptera Orthopteroid Processionary Caterpillar Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies Wasps Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis) Witchetty Grub