食蚜蠅分布(bu)很廣(guang),從遼寧到廣(guang)東(dong),從臺(tai)灣云南(nan)均有分布(bu);也(ye)分布(bu)于東(dong)南(nan)亞,日本,朝鮮,俄羅(luo)斯(si)等地(di)。
食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)蚜(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)蠅(ying)(ying)是(shi)常見的天敵(di)昆(kun)蟲,以(yi)幼(you)蟲捕(bu)食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)蚜(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)蟲而著稱。但實際上(shang),還(huan)有(you)(you)不少食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)蚜(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)蠅(ying)(ying)種類(lei),它們的幼(you)蟲并不捕(bu)食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)蚜(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)蟲,而是(shi)植食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)性(xing)(xing)的,幼(you)蟲在(zai)植物(wu)體內取(qu)食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)植物(wu)的組織(zhi),或者是(shi)腐(fu)食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)性(xing)(xing)的,幼(you)蟲以(yi)腐(fu)敗的有(you)(you)機物(wu)或禽(qin)畜糞便為(wei)食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)。即使(shi)在(zai)捕(bu)食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)性(xing)(xing)食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)蚜(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)蠅(ying)(ying)中(zhong)(zhong),也可以(yi)其(qi)他昆(kun)蟲為(wei)食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi),如(ru)捕(bu)食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)鱗翅目(mu)的幼(you)蟲、葉蜂(feng)幼(you)蟲,或甚至捕(bu)食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)其(qi)他的食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)蚜(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)蠅(ying)(ying)幼(you)蟲。圖(tu)《食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)蚜(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)蠅(ying)(ying)頭部(bu)特寫(xie)》中(zhong)(zhong)所示(shi)的羽芒寬(kuan)盾食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)蚜(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)蠅(ying)(ying)不是(shi)捕(bu)食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)性(xing)(xing)的,幼(you)蟲屬(shu)于(yu)(yu)腐(fu)食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)性(xing)(xing)的。食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)蚜(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)蠅(ying)(ying)成蟲腹部(bu)多有(you)(you)黃、黑(hei)斑紋(wen),不少種類(lei)有(you)(you)明顯的擬態(tai)現象,往往被誤認為(wei)蜂(feng)。由(you)于(yu)(yu)蜂(feng)很強大,腹末有(you)(you)刺,不好惹;中(zhong)(zhong)胸(xiong)背板黑(hei)色(se),具銅色(se)光澤,腹部(bu)狹卵(luan)形,黑(hei)色(se),食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)蚜(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)蠅(ying)(ying)由(you)于(yu)(yu)像(xiang)蜂(feng),從(cong)而起到(dao)保護作(zuo)用。但如(ru)果我(wo)們仔細觀察一番,不難(nan)區(qu)分。食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)蚜(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)蠅(ying)(ying)屬(shu)于(yu)(yu)雙翅目(mu),即體上(shang)只有(you)(you)一對(dui)翅膀(bang),而蜂(feng)類(lei)屬(shu)膜翅目(mu),體上(shang)有(you)(you)二對(dui)翅膀(bang);食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)蚜(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)蠅(ying)(ying)的觸(chu)角短,而蜂(feng)類(lei)觸(chu)角較長;食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)蚜(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)蠅(ying)(ying)的后足(zu)纖(xian)細,而常見的蜜蜂(feng)等蜂(feng)類(lei)有(you)(you)比較寬(kuan)闊的后足(zu),用以(yi)收集花粉。對(dui)于(yu)(yu)熟悉食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)蚜(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)蠅(ying)(ying)的人來說,即使(shi)在(zai)飛(fei)行中(zhong)(zhong)也可以(yi)看出它們與蜂(feng)類(lei)的不一樣來:食(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)蚜(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)(ya)蠅(ying)(ying)在(zai)飛(fei)行時(shi)(shi)能較長時(shi)(shi)間懸(xuan)定于(yu)(yu)空中(zhong)(zhong)某一點(dian)(dian),后突然(ran)飛(fei)到(dao)附近另一點(dian)(dian),飛(fei)行動作(zuo)平穩,而蜂(feng)類(lei)飛(fei)行時(shi)(shi)常常有(you)(you)輕微(wei)的左右(you)擺動。
食蚜(ya)蠅(ying)成蟲早春出現,春夏季盛發,性喜(xi)陽光(guang),常飛(fei)舞花(hua)間草叢(cong)或芳香植物上,取食花(hua)粉、花(hua)蜜(mi),并傳播花(hua)粉,時或吸取樹汁。成蟲飛(fei)翔力強,常翱翔空(kong)中,或振動雙翅在(zai)空(kong)中停留不(bu)動,或突然(ran)作直線(xian)高速飛(fei)行而后盤旋(xuan)徘徊(huai)。食蚜(ya)蠅(ying)本身(shen)無螫刺或叮咬能力,但常有各(ge)種擬態(tai),在(zai)體型、色澤(ze)上常摹(mo)仿黃蜂(feng)(feng)或蜜(mi)蜂(feng)(feng),且能仿效蜂(feng)(feng)類作螫刺動作。如體大、被毛、具(ju)黃黑斑紋的屬摹(mo)仿熊蜂(feng)(feng),并能發出蜜(mi)蜂(feng)(feng)一樣的嗡(weng)嗡(weng)聲。蟻穴蚜(ya)蠅(ying)亞科(ke)的某些種類摹(mo)仿蜜(mi)蜂(feng)(feng)。
幼(you)蟲(chong)(chong)生活習性復雜,因此(ci),口器隨種類(lei)(lei)而異(yi)。例如:腐食(shi)性種類(lei)(lei)以(yi)腐敗的動植(zhi)物(wu)為食(shi),并在其中(zhong)(zhong)越冬;也(ye)有(you)部分幼(you)蟲(chong)(chong)生活于污水中(zhong)(zhong)。此(ci)外,某(mou)些類(lei)(lei)群的幼(you)蟲(chong)(chong)生活在其他昆蟲(chong)(chong)的巢內(nei),吞食(shi)已死的幼(you)蟲(chong)(chong)和蛹(yong)以(yi)及(ji)某(mou)些動物(wu)的排泄物(wu)。植(zhi)食(shi)性種類(lei)(lei)鉆入植(zhi)物(wu)木質部中(zhong)(zhong)生活,有(you)的為害植(zhi)物(wu)的球莖。捕食(shi)性種類(lei)(lei)則以(yi)捕食(shi)蚜蟲(chong)(chong)為主(zhu),是蚜蟲(chong)(chong)、介殼蟲(chong)(chong)、粉虱、葉蟬(chan)、薊馬、鱗翅目(mu)小幼(you)蟲(chong)(chong)等的有(you)效天敵(di)。
成(cheng)蟲(chong)(chong)羽化后(hou)必須取(qu)食花粉才能發育繁(fan)殖,否則卵(luan)巢不能發育。許多種類(lei)的成(cheng)蟲(chong)(chong)在露天或(huo)樹林中(zhong)飛翔交配(pei),交配(pei)時間僅1~2秒鐘。雌蟲(chong)(chong)產(chan)卵(luan)于蚜群中(zhong)或(huo)其附近,以(yi)便(bian)幼蟲(chong)(chong)孵化后(hou)即能得到充(chong)足的食料。有(you)時也產(chan)卵(luan)于葉上或(huo)莖部(bu)。幼蟲(chong)(chong)孵出后(hou)立即能捕(bu)食周圍的蚜蟲(chong)(chong)。某些種類(lei)的成(cheng)熟幼蟲(chong)(chong)有(you)遷移(yi)現象。一般以(yi)幼蟲(chong)(chong)或(huo)蛹在土(tu)中(zhong)、石下、枯(ku)枝落(luo)葉下越(yue)冬(dong),少數以(yi)成(cheng)蟲(chong)(chong)越(yue)冬(dong)。