Family Micropezidae - Stilt-legged Flies

Small-footed Flies

Arnett, p. 889, lists 31 spp. (1)

Nearctica.com lists 9 genera, 33 species, as follows:

Calobatina Enderlein 1922 (3 spp.), Cnodacophora Czerny 1930 (1 sp.), Compsobata Czerny 1930 (6 spp.), Grallipeza Rondani 1850 (1 sp.), Hoplocheiloma Cresson 1926 (1 sp.), Micropeza Meigen 1803 (16 spp.), Neria of authors (2 spp.), Rainieria Rondani 1843 (1 sp.), Taeniaptera Macquart 1835 (2 spp.)

Worldwide there are about 40 genera and a total of about 475 described species.

4-15 mm

Odd little flies, known for their displaying (?) behavior of walking around and lifting their prominently marked front legs. Abdomen attached to thorax by "wasp-waist". Likely ant or wasp mimics. The posture of the forelegs may imitate ant and/or wasp antennae and provide them with some protection from predators (speculation--Cotinis).

Much of North America

Moist areas, marshes, wet woods

Summer. June-August (Minnesota), May-October (Calobata, North Carolina)

Adults of some species are attracted to rotting fruit or to dung; in other species adults are predaceous. For many species the diet of adults is not known.

Known larvae are saprophagous.

Arnett, p. 889 (1)

Deyrup, p. 119--excellent photo (2)

Borror and White, pp. 286-287, illustration (3)

Brimley, p. 385 (4)

Insects of Cedar Creek

USDA SEL--Diptera

Nearctica.com

Micropezidae of California--scanned bitmap, has keys.

Herschel Raney: key to genera, family page.