Entomophthora muscae (Cohn) Fresenius    Synonyms: Empusa muscae.
Kingdom Fungi   >   Phylum Zygomycota   >   Class Entomophthoromycotina   >   Order Entomophthorales   >   Family Entomophthoraceae   >   Genus Entomophthora   

Status:

"This fungus does a number on many fly species. The fungus attacks the brains of the fly having them fly to an elevated location where they are glued by the fungus to the spot... The fungus eats the flies from the inside out and the elevated site serves the fungus well by disseminating its wind-born spores." (R. Orr, pers. comm.)

There are 5 records in the project database.

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Empusa muscae in Howard Co., Maryland (11/2/2007). A couple dozen of these dead and dying flies were seen on this cherry branch at Centennial Park in Howard County. Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

Entomophthora muscae in Prince George's Co., Maryland (11/2/2016). (c) Michael Skvarla, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA). Photo by Michael Skvarla via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Entomophthora muscae in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (9/23/2017). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Entomophthora muscae in Howard Co., Maryland (5/3/2019). (c) Matthew Beziat, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Matthew Beziat. (MBP list)


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