Microdon myrmicae is a species of hoverfly belonging to the family Syrphidae.
It is a Palearctic species with a limited distribution in Europe (Ireland, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Norway, Poland and European Russia (Karelia).Fauna Europaea
M. myrmicae is a parasite on Myrmica scabrinodis, M. gallieni and M.tulinae (Formicidae).
Microdon myrmicae lives sympatrically with other myrmecophiles including Phengaris alcon, P. nausithous and P. teleius (in one location all four species cooccur).Simona Bonelli, Andrew Worgan, Sophie Everett and Karsten Schonrogge Host specificity in Microdon myrmicae, a sympatric social parasite to the Maculinea in moist grassland ecosystems in Studies on the Ecology and Conservation of Butterflies in Europe vol. 2, pp.69-71 a_sympatric_soicial_parasite_to_the_Maculinea_in_moist_grassland_ecosystems
Description External images For terms see Morphology of Diptera Wing length 6·75-8·25 mm. See references for determination Van Veen, M. (2004) Hoverflies of Northwest Europe: identification keys to the Syrphidae. 256pp. KNNV Publishing, Utrecht.addendum At present M.mutabilis is only reliably distinguished from M.myrmicae by features of the puparium.
Two color morphs of the species are known: individuals of either sex can be predominantly gold-haired or silver-haired. However, more males appear to be silver than gold, and the reverse is true for females, suggesting a complex genetic mechanism.
References
External links Øivind Gammelmo and Leif Aarvik The myrmecophilous fly Microdon myrmicae Schönrogge et al., 2002 (Diptera, Syrphidae) in Norway