Family Mydidae - Mydas Flies

Classification · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Internet References · Works Cited

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon ("Orthorrhapha" (Brachycera excluding Aschiza and Schizophora))

Superfamily Asiloidea

Family Mydidae (Mydas Flies)

Size

1-6 cm

Identification

Large flies, often wasp mimics.

Range

Worldwide in temperate and tropical regions.

Habitat

Variable, often open habitats, but some do live in tropical rainforests.

Season

Summer in temperate regions.

Food

Some adults, especially males, take nectar. Adults, long thought to be predatory, are perhaps not! Some females do not feed as adults. Larvae are predators of larval beetles, mostly.

Life Cycle

Eggs are laid in soil or dead wood with beetle larvae.

Remarks

Alcock, pp. 124-126, discusses Batesian mimicry of large spider wasps (Pompilidae: genera Pepsis, Hemipepsis, called "Tarantula Hawks") by Mydas flies (1)

Seems that Mydas clavatus is likely a mimic of the Pompilid wasp, Anoplius, which see.

Guide TBA--PC (print references)

Internet References

Mydas Fly Home Page--excellent discussion of the family

Works Cited

1.	Sonoran Desert Summer By John Alcock, Marilyn Hoff Stewart

Contributed by Cotinis on 16 March, 2004 - 2:47pm
Last updated 9 August, 2004 - 10:34pm

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