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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Orthorrhapha » Empidoidea » Longlegged Flies (Dolichopodidae)

Family Dolichopodidae - Longlegged Flies

Classification · Numbers · Identification · Range · Habitat · Food · Life Cycle · Works Cited
Small fly - Tachytrechus angustipennis Tiny Fly - Condylostylus - male Unknown Tiny Fly tiny long legged fly - Condylostylus - male Small Fly Red Fly - Condylostylus - female fly Blue and Black Fly - Condylostylus pruinosus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon (Orthorrhapha)
Superfamily Empidoidea
Family Dolichopodidae (Longlegged Flies)
Numbers
ca. 1300 spp. in almost 60 genera in our area(1)(2)
Identification
species vary in appearance and biology. Adults are medium to small slender flies with green, blue or copper metallic colored bodies and long legs. Their wings are clear or marked with darker areas towards the wing tips. Wing venation is characteristic.
Range
worldwide and throughout NA(1)(2)
Habitat
lightly shaded areas near swamps and streams, in meadows and woodlands
Food
Mouthparts are for piercing (with a short proboscis). Adults and larvae prey on small insects; larvae of some species mine stems of grasses and other plants or live under bark
Life Cycle
Larvae develop in wet to dry soil and pupate in cocoons made up of soil particles cemented together. Adults mate after elaborate and unique behavior, involving the males displaying their legs to the female.
Works Cited
1.Catalog of the Dolichopodidae (Diptera) of America north of Mexico
By Marc A. A. Pollet et al.
2.Checklist of Dolichopodidae s.str. of America North of Mexico
Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by Lynette, Keith Bayless, Ted Kropiewnicki, v belov
Last updated 5 December, 2010 - 12:05pm

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