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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Orthorrhapha » Empidoidea » Longlegged Flies (Dolichopodidae) » Medeterinae » Medetera
Photo#82879
Medetera2??? - Medetera - male
Copyright © 2006 Cheryl Moorehead

Medetera2??? - Medetera - Male
Seattle, King County, Washington, USA
July 19, 2006
Size: ~5mm tall
Here is another one of those tiny flies I've been trying to ID. They are active hunters of springtails and barklice. They are also very, very common in my yard.
They seem rather reluctant to fly, but would rather run. They also seem to be on vertical surfaces more often than not.
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Contributed by Cheryl Moorehead on 12 October, 2006 - 5:57pm
Last updated 18 January, 2013 - 9:21pm

Moved
Moved from Longlegged Flies.
… Cheryl Moorehead, 27 November, 2006 - 6:06am login or register to post comments

Identification
This callow (freshly emerged) male specimen belongs to the genus Medetera (Dolichopodidae, subfamily Medeterinae). The majority of Medetera species is indeed found on vertical surfaces such as tree trunks and larvae of many species seem to feed on bark beetle stages (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae).
… dr Marc Pollet, 27 November, 2006 - 5:44am login or register to post comments

 
Cool, Thank you!
These guys are all over the place in my yard. The adults seem to like barklice & springtails, I haven't seen any larvae.
… Cheryl Moorehead, 27 November, 2006 - 6:07am login or register to post comments

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