Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Photo#217136
Stilt-legged fly (Family Micropezidae, Subfamily Teniapterinae)? - Grallipeza nebulosa - male

Stilt-legged fly (Family Micropezidae, Subfamily Teniapterinae)? - Grallipeza nebulosa - Male
Niceville, Florida, Okaloosa County, Florida, USA
August 23, 2008
Stephen Marshall (Insects: Natural History and Diversity) says that some members of the subfamily Taeniapterinae wave their white tipped front legs and release chemicals to attract females. The insect in the photo does indeed walk about waving its front legs and one notes the drop of fluid at the anus. This insect does not look exactly like that pictured by Marshall on p 509 of his book. Is it a stilt-legged fly? And what species?

Images of this individual: tag all
Stilt-legged fly (Family Micropezidae, Subfamily Teniapterinae)? - Grallipeza nebulosa - male Stilt-legged fly (Family Micropezidae, Subfamily Teniapterinae)? - Grallipeza nebulosa - male

Moved
Moved from Taeniapterinae.

leg waving
I've seen other flies hold one foreleg in the air. Another hypothesis is that they're sampling the air with the chemical sensors on their feet. Flies also have chemosensory bristles on their antennae and wings.

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.