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Family Therevidae - Stiletto Flies

small black and silver fly - Ozodiceromyia nigrimana - female small silver and black fly - Ozodiceromyia nigrimana - male Stiletto Flie? - Ozodiceromyia notata Fly - Penniverpa festina Unknown fly - Ozodiceromyia unknown fly - Ozodiceromyia Another sand-burrowing larva Thereva frontalis? - Thereva
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon ("Orthorrhapha" (Brachycera excluding Aschiza and Schizophora))
Superfamily Asiloidea
Family Therevidae (Stiletto Flies)
Explanation of Names
Common name refers to narrow, tapering abdomens. (1)
Size
4-12mm (1)
Identification
Medium, usually gray flies with moderately tapering abdomen. Five posterior cells with the fourth sometimes closed. Somewhat elongated 3rd antennal segment. (2)
See also "A Key to the Nearctic Genera of Therevidae" (link in Internet References below)
Habitat
Uncommon, but usually in open areas. (2) Usually seen resting on foliage or flowers in sunny areas. (1)
See Also
These flies are similar to robber flies (3) but without the beard, have more slender legs and no depression between the eyes. (1)
Print References
Milne, p. 655 (1)
Borror & White, p. 276 (2)
Works Cited
1.National Audubon Society Field Guide to Insects and Spiders
By Lorus and Margery Milne
2.A Field Guide to Insects
By Richard E. White, Donald J. Borror, Roger Tory Peterson
3.Robber Flies