Chrysops frigidus Osten Sacken 1875

Chrysops frigidus is relatively common across Canada, but is nowhere extremely abundant (Teskey 1990). There is no current need for conservation efforts.

Chrysops frigidus has been collected from late May through early September, but is most common in mid June through July (Teskey 1990).

Chrysops frigidus is present throughout Canada and Alaska, as well as in New England and down the Rocky Mountains to Colorado (Teskey 1990).

"Adults are relatively small, 6-9 mm in length (Teskey 1990). The head of the females is grayish pruinose (powdery) with large brown to black glossy areas; the frons is higher than the width at the base; the antennae are slender, with a yellowish scape; the palpi are yellowish brown (Teskey 1990). The thorax is black, with the lateral margin and much of pleura covered with greyish pruinosity and yellow hairs; the legs are variable; the wings are heavily infuscated, with the apical spot broadly united to the crossband (Teskey 1990). The abdomen coloration is also variable, but is usually yellowish orange on the first two tergites, with a lunate (moon-shaped) black spot on tergite 1 meeting a broad black spot on tergite 2; the remaining tergites are darker, sometimes with faint medial triangles (Teskey 1990). The males are similar, but with a more swollen scape, a wider pruinose clypeal stripe, greater pigmentation on wings, and a larger black spot on tergite 2 (Teskey 1990). Due to its size and heavy pigmentation at the wing apex, C. frigidus is not easily confused with any other Chrysops spp. Larvae are cylindrical, elongate, fusiform (spindle-shaped), pale yellow or beige, often with a greenish tinge, 12-15 mm in length. They lack a stigmatal spine, and the length of their respiratory siphon is more than three times longer than the diameter of its base (Teskey 1969)."

Larvae can be collected from a wide variety of wetland habitats, but are obligate to a substrate of wet moss (Teskey 1990).

Little is known of the life history of C. frigidus.

Nothing is known of the dietary habits of the larvae of C. frigidus. The adults are known to rely on flower nectar as a principal food source (Lewis and Leprince, 1981).

Chrysops frigidus is a species of deer fly in the family Tabanidae.