About Sericomyia militaris Walker, 1849
Sericomyia militaris (commonly misspelled as Sericomyia militaria), commonly known as the narrow-banded pond fly, is a common species of syrphid fly found across northern North America. Syrphid flies are also called hover flies or flower flies, because adult individuals are frequently seen hovering around flowers, where they feed on nectar and pollen. Adult narrow-banded pond flies measure 11.7–17.1 mm (0.46–0.67 in) in length. They are mostly black in color, with narrow yellow markings on the abdomen. Larvae of the genus Sericomyia are called rat-tailed maggots, named for their long posterior breathing tube.
