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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Orthorrhapha" (Brachycera excluding Aschiza and Schizophora) » Asiloidea » Stiletto Flies (Therevidae)

Family Therevidae - Stiletto Flies

Stiletto Fly? - Thereva frontalis Stiletto Fly - Pandivirilia unknown fly - Pherocera unknown fly - Pherocera Stiletto Fly? - Tabuda varia - male Thereva comata-like Stiletto Fly - Thereva - female Stiletto Fly captured by a crab spider on Sandpaper Plant - Ammonaios confusus - male Stiletto fly? - 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)
Internet References
Page at University of Illinois - Urbana/Champaign
A Key to the Nearctic Genera of Therevidae
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
Contributed by john and jane balaban on 12 September, 2004 - 5:01pm
Additional contributions by Mike Boone, Robin McLeod, Hartmut Wisch
Last updated 18 September, 2007 - 12:20pm

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