Diario del proyecto Flies of the US and Canada

As the number of flies on iNaturalist continues to grow, many users have stepped up to help identify more and more observations. I'd like to celebrate some of these accomplishments, focusing on recent activity. Some of these contributors have been active for years, while others have only recently begun to have a massive impact. We're all grateful for your generosity.

By state/province:
Alabama @myelaphus Alaska @muir Arizona @myelaphus Arkansas @jhousephotos California @trinaroberts Colorado @ny_wetlander Connecticut @megachile Delaware @myelaphus Florida @sauron978 Georgia @myelaphus Hawaii @phycus Idaho @kschnei Illinois @spencerpote Indiana @myelaphus Iowa @isaacwinkler Kansas @myelaphus Kentucky @myelaphus Louisiana @bradmoon Maine @trinaroberts Maryland @myelaphus Massachusetts @trinaroberts Michigan @calconey Minnesota @guidingguida Mississippi @treegrow Missouri @lfelliott Montana @trinaroberts Nebraska @myelaphus Nevada @myelaphus New Hampshire @calconey New Jersey @imacuriousjuan New Mexico @myelaphus New York @acclivity North Carolina @myelaphus North Dakota @trinaroberts Ohio @myelaphus Oklahoma @myelaphus Oregon @trinaroberts Pennsylvania @calconey Rhode Island @myelaphus South Carolina @myelaphus South Dakota @myelaphus Tennessee @myelaphus Texas @myelaphus Utah @aroe Vermont @calconey Virginia @myelaphus Washington @trinaroberts West Virginia @myelaphus Wisconsin @jeremyhussell Wyoming @myelaphus

Alberta @trinaroberts British Columbia @trinaroberts Manitoba @friesen5000 New Brunswick @jdee Newfoundland and Labrador @tom102 Northwest Territories @lrubio7 Nova Scotia @johnklymko Nunavut @ Ontario @jeremyhussell Prince Edward Island @bobharding Quebec @jeremyhussell Saskatchewan @acclivity Yukon @sydcannings

Taxa included in https://sites.google.com/view/flyguide :
Syrphidae @trinaroberts (Toxomerini @jane41 Syrphini @trinaroberts Bacchini @trinaroberts Paragini @trinaroberts Pipizini @phycus Merodontini @trinaroberts Milesiini @trinaroberts Eristalini @acclivity Volucellini @trinaroberts Rhingiini @johnklymko Brachyopini @trinaroberts Microdontinae @edanko ) Pyrgotidae @spencerpote Calliphoridae @edanko Polleniidae @edanko

I think it might be interesting to keep trying this over the next few months to encourage identifiers and see if there are any interesting patterns. Colder winter weather should bring some changes.

Top identifiers were identified using a search as per https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=6&created_d1=2020-9-1&created_d2=2020-9-30&createdDateType=range&view=identifiers&taxon_id=47822

There are currently 978 Syrphidae in the southwestern USA that aren't IDed below supertribe, down from 995 this morning. A few of us have been chipping away together at these for the last week or so, and @trinaroberts had the nice idea of making a journal post for this 'IDing party' to let more people join.

The link is https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?taxon_id=49995&place_id=14%2C50%2C40%2C52%2C9%2C34&lrank=supertribe

Some guide materials are at https://sites.google.com/view/flyguide/southwest/syrphidae-southwest

Let the fun begin! Let us know in a comment if you're joining so that we can share updates... even a couple IDs here and there count! And of course feel free to tag some of us if you find a particularly challenging or interesting one.

Bromeliad flies are my favorite flower flies, and are particularly manageable for beginners.

There are currently 534 Volucellini in the southeastern USA that are "needs ID."

You can join in at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?taxon_id=479390&place_id=25%2C12%2C18%2C28%2C36%2C27%2C45%2C37%2C19%2C30%2C43%2C23%2C21

A guide to common species is posted at https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1CVdfkzDCmdanEqDzs9DF2sl7uGvuZXMV0OGU54KPduc/preview

Let the fun begin! Let us know in a comment if you're joining ... even a couple IDs here and there count! And of course, feel free to start a discussion if you find a particularly challenging or interesting one.

This small brown fly, observed by @malisaspring in Ohio this July, turns out to represent a new family for iNaturalist! These are also apparently the first live photos of this family ever taken. Many thanks to Martin Hauser @phycus and Norm Woodley for their help with the identification. Distinguishing features are illustrated here.

It just goes to show that crazy new material is still turning up even in the most well-collected parts of North America on iNaturalist, and it only takes one observation!

Hello everyone! There are currently 5,211 Eristalini that need ID in the northeast. Let's work together to chip away at these!

Let the fun begin! Let us know in a comment if you're joining and you'll get updates... even a couple IDs here and there count! And of course, feel free to start a discussion if you find a particularly challenging or interesting one.

You can join in at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?taxon_id=364082&place_id=7590%2C6883%2C13336%2C7289%2C7587%2C6853%2C9116%2C13%2C44%2C3%2C38%2C24%2C32%2C35%2C26%2C29%2C20%2C31%2C7%2C33%2C39%2C4%2C42%2C51%2C48%2C52339%2C5

A guide to common species is posted at https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1PUPWRskkZh2Fjaf5W2dlgWO_52HBw0H_ZrY0tc_qru4/preview

@upupa-epops , @trinaroberts and I have been tossing around ideas for communal ID initiatives either on Discord, group video sessions, or as it turns out thru journal posts in this project. If you have thoughts on any of these options please leave a comment or message me.