Family Pipunculidae - Big-headed flies

128 species in 12 genera in North America listed at nearctica.com (which doesn't list the native genus Cephalops)

1,383 described species in the world; over 2,500 species likely exist

adult body length 3-8 mm

Hemispheric head almost completely made up of the huge compound eyes. Body usually black. Wings tend to be elongated and to be narrowed at the base. Antennae are aristate and the (usually long) arista arises on the dorsal side of the antenna. Dissection of genitalia normally required for identification of species.

all biogeographical regions of the world

adults are usually seen hovering among vegetation in forest clearings and edges

adults feed on honeydew secretions

larvae of most species are parasitoids of leafhoppers and planthoppers, but one genus (Nephrocerus) parasitizes crane flies - see photo of infected female

A single egg is injected into a nymph or adult planthopper or leafhopper, either while the bug is stationary or after the fly has picked up the bug and is in flight; the larva feeds internally and when mature, leaves the host through a break in one of the dorsal intersegmental membranes of the abdomen; pupation occurs in soil, leaf litter, at the base of plants, or rarely, attached to leaves.

Skevington, J. H. and D. K. Yeates. 2001. Phylogenetic classification of Eudorylini (Diptera: Pipunculidae). Systematic Entomology 26: 421-452. (includes key to genera of the family)

detailed overview of family including numbers, description, hosts, biology, collecting, preserving, references, links (Jeff Skevington, Tree of Life Project)

British Insects: Pipunculidae description and link to anatomical drawings (L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz)

pinned adult image of Cephalops species by Stephanie Boucher, plus brief overview (Canadian Biodiversity, McGill U., Quebec)

contributions of Elmo Hardy; PDF doc to pipunculid taxonomy (Jeffrey Skevington and Marc De Meyer, canacoll.org)