Tufted Globetail Sphaerophoria contigua Macquart, 1847    
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Diptera   >   Family Syrphidae   >   Genus Sphaerophoria   

Status:

Fairly common and widespread in Maryland. Found in a variety of habitats and visits a variety of flowers.

Description:

Pronounced sexual dimorphism. Males have an almost tubular abdomen with large, globose genitalia at the end. Females have a wider, flatter, more oval-shaped abdomen. The only member of the genus regularly encountered in Maryland; identifiable with care from photos.

There are 101 records in the project database.

View images at BugGuide

View taxon at iNaturalist

View taxon at NatureServe

Search Google Images

Search MBP Facebook posts (beta | requires login)


[View seasonality details]
GA AL WA FR CL MO HO BA BC HA CEPG AA CV CHSM KE QA CN TADOWISOWO
A female Tufted Globetail in Calvert Co., Maryland (11/9/2020). Determined by Bill Dean/BugGuide. Photo by Jim Moore. (MBP list)

A male Tufted Globetail in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (7/4/2021). (c) jtylerbell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Tyler Bell. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/24/2021). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A Tufted Globetail in Prince George's Co., Maryland (10/2/2017). Verified by Ken Wolgemuth/BugGuide. Photo by Barbara Thurlow. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Prince George's Co., Maryland (10/31/2021). (c) Sergei Drovetski, all rights reserved. Photo by Sergei Drovetski. (MBP list)

A female Tufted Globetail in Washington Co., Maryland (7/26/2015). Verified by Kelsey J.R.P. Byers/BugGuide. Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Prince George's Co., Maryland (10/10/2020). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Prince George's Co., Maryland (10/10/2020). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Tufted Globetail species in Frederick Co., Maryland (6/19/2016). Determined by Martin Hauser/BugGuide. Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)

A male Tufted Globetail in Baltimore City, Maryland (5/12/2006). Determined by Kelsey J.R.P. Byers/BugGuide. Photo by Thomas Wilson. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Baltimore City, Maryland (5/12/2006). Determined by Kelsey J.R.P. Byers/BugGuide. Photo by Thomas Wilson. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (4/11/2021). (c) pcowartrickmanphoto, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Pamela Cowart-Rickman. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Kent Co., Maryland (6/6/2021). (c) pcowartrickmanphoto, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Pamela Cowart-Rickman. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/27/2021). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Kent Co., Maryland (6/6/2021). (c) pcowartrickmanphoto, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Pamela Cowart-Rickman. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Howard Co., Maryland (5/5/2023). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/27/2021). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/10/2021). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/11/2022). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Prince George's Co., Maryland (6/17/2023). (c) Jenny Glenn, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jenny Glenn via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Prince George's Co., Maryland (6/13/2021). (c) Hans Holbrook, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Hans Holbrook. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Prince George's Co., Maryland (4/20/2023). (c) rauvbbj, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by rauvbbj via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/27/2021). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Washington Co., Maryland (4/9/2023). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Montgomery Co., Maryland (5/1/2021). (c) Wendy R Fredericks, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wendy R. Fredericks. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Frederick Co., Maryland (5/15/2017). (c) botanygirl, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by botanygirl via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/27/2021). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Tufted Globetail in Prince George's Co., Maryland (5/22/2021). (c) Sergei Drovetski, all rights reserved. Photo by Sergei Drovetski. (MBP list)


View All Images

Use of images featured on Maryland Biodiversity Project is only permitted with express permission of the photographer.