Bibio marci or St. Mark's fly or hawthorn fly,[1] is a species of fly from the family Bibionidae. It is found across much of Europe.[2] Their common name comes from the fact that the adults usually emerge around St Mark's Day, 25 April.
| Bibio marci | |
|---|---|
_Bibio_marci.jpg) | |
| Male B. marci | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Bibionidae |
| Genus: | Bibio |
| Species: | B. marci |
| Binomial name | |
| Bibio marci | |
| Synonyms | |
Description
editAdult specimens are usually 12-14mm in length. They can be observed hovering with their prominent legs dangling below. The adults feed on nectar and are considered an important pollinator.[3]
Like most bibionid larvae, they grow up in grassy areas and are herbivores and scavengers feeding on dead vegetation or living plant roots.[3] Adult females usually lay their eggs in soil or decomposing vegetation.[4]
Sexual dimorphism is noticeable in males having much larger eyes and heads.[3][5]
Relationship to humans
editBibio marci larvae are known to be root damage pests of celery, asparagus, roses, saxifrages, lawn grass, lettuce and Polyanthus. They also feed on a very large number of plant species that are commercially unimportant.[6]
Gallery
edit
A male and female mating.
A larva
References
edit- ↑ "Hawthorne Fly". California Academy Of Sciences. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ↑ "Bibio marci (Linnaeus, 1758) | Fauna Europaea".
- 1 2 3 "St Mark's fly | The Wildlife Trusts". www.wildlifetrusts.org. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
- ↑ Trust, Woodland. "St Mark's Fly (Bibio Marci)". Woodland Trust. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
- ↑ "St Mark's Fly | NatureSpot". www.naturespot.org. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
- ↑ Freeman, Paul; Lane, Richard P. (1985). "Bibionid and Scatopsid flies, Diptera: Bibionidae & Scatopsidae". Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. 9 (7). London: Royal Entomological Society of London: 74.
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External links
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