Distribution of Syrphidae (Diptera) across northern Ontario

Abstract

Syrphids (Diptera: Syrphidae) are a diverse and widespread family of pollinating flies. Their diverse life history traits not only allow them to thrive in a wide range of habitats but also make them potential bioindicators of environmental change. Here, we report on their distributions from a previously understudied and undeveloped part of northern Ontario that is a large part of the third-largest wetland in the world. Samples were collected from across the region between 2009 and 2016, using numerous sampling methods. Of the 122 species identified from 1514 specimens, six are new provincial records to Ontario. Five species were collected over 800 km from their previously known ranges, some of which were west of the Rocky Mountains. Of all the trapping methods employed in the study, Malaise traps were found to be the most effective at catching syrphid species. This work updates known range and provincial records for more than 100 species of syrphids, bringing into clearer focus their distribution throughout this region.

New records and range extensions of Carabidae of Ontario’s boreal forest

“…Of the few biodiversity and ecological studies, the majority have focused on charismatic vertebrates such as caribou, moose, and wolves (Poley et al 2013), bats (Layng et al 2019), and birds (Abraham 2014). The arthropod studies that have been conducted in the Far North have focused on collembolans, odonates, dipterans, lepidopterans, hymenopterans, and some beetles (Fjellberg 1985;Danks and Foottit 1989;Sutherland et al 2005;Beresford 2011;Ringrose et al 2013Ringrose et al , 2014Ringrose et al , 2019Fleming andBeresford 2016, 2019;Jumean et al 2017;Gibson et al 2018;Langer et al 2018;Vezsenyi et al 2021). Large gaps remain in our knowledge of the diversity and distribution of insects, even though the species' ranges represent the fundamental unit of biogeography (Lomolino et al 2017).…”

Towards a practical trap for deer flies (Diptera: Tabanidae): initial tests of a bi-level Nzi trap

“…Researchers interested in nonbiting flies may also wish to test a version of the Nzi trap with a single phthalogen blue sloping shelf. That option collected many nontarget insects, as noted in the occasional use of Nzi traps for Syrphidae (Vezsenyi et al 2019) and Hymenoptera (Vizza et al 2021).…”