Community identification
Rat-tailed maggot
Eristalis tenax
- Order & Family
- Order: Diptera; Family: Syrphidae
- Size
- 20 mm for the body, with a tail extending up to 150 mm
Natural Habitat
Found in stagnant or polluted water, sewers, manure pits, and decaying organic matter.
Diet & Feeding
Larvae feed on decaying organic material and bacteria; adults feed on nectar and pollen.
Behavior Patterns
Larvae use their long 'tail' as a breathing tube (siphon) to reach oxygen at the surface while submerged; they undergo pupation in drier soil before emerging as hoverflies.
Risks & Benefits
Benefits the ecosystem as adult hoverflies are significant pollinators and larvae decompose waste; rarely causes accidental intestinal myiasis in humans if contaminated food or water is ingested.