Like geographic features (cities, mountains, rivers, etc.), species are sometimes named after prominent people. This species was named after Bill Gates in recognition of his great contributions to the science of Dipterology.

Bill's fly is only found in the high montane cloud forests of Costa Rica.

Sorry, we are still working on getting the other details about Bill's fly up on line. A full published account may be found in the April 1997 issue of the Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington (Thompson, 1997, Revision of the Eristalis Flower Flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) of the Americas south of the United States. PESW vol. 99: 209-237).