Latin Name:  Family Syrphidae
                        (J. Dombroskie, det.)

Length:  up to ~12 mm

Range: Throughout Alberta

Habitat:  Various

Time of year seen:  Summer

Larva's Diet:  Aphids

Other:  Syrphid larvae are slug-like in appearance with the body thinning towards the head.  They are predators of  both scale insects and aphids.  Depending on the species larval coloration varies from brown to greenish brown to purple. Certain species of mature larva may reach body lengths of 12mm at maturity. As with other larva they are subject to parasitization by other insects in both the larval and pupal stages. (http://entweb.clemson.edu/eiis/pdfs/bb1.pdf)