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Family Scenopinidae - Window Flies

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon (Orthorrhapha)

Superfamily Asiloidea

Family Scenopinidae (Window Flies)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Includes several genera formerly placed in Bomblyiidae.

Explanation of Names

Scenopinidae Burmeister 1835

Common name: adults of Scenopinus fenestralis are commonly found at windows inside buildings

Numbers

3 subfamilies, with ~160 spp. in 9 genera in our area (>130 spp. are in 3 major genera: Brevitrichia, Pseudatrichia, & Scenopinus) and >420 spp. in 25 genera worldwide (of which almost 200 spp. are in Scenopinus)(1)

Size

Rarely >5 mm(1)

Identification

Adult: small and dark or blackish; antennae 3-segmented, not aristate; mouth functional, non-piercing, with very short proboscis; wings with large discal cell, subapical cell, and relatively long closed anal cell; lower calypter much reduced or absent; feet without triple pad; antennae with distinctive sunken sensillae

Larvae:

Key to genera in (1) • Key to species in (2) (does not include all species)

Range

Cosmopolitan(1)

Habitat

Various habitats; greatest diversity in arid regions with dry sandy soil, larvae in friable soils and leaf litter (have also been reared from, or suspected of breeding in, galleries of wood-boring insects, birds/mammal nests, termite mounds, bat guano, beehives and stored products). Adults of some species (e.g. Scenopinus spp.) often on windows inside homes (as larvae, they prey on pests associated with human activities)(1)

Season

In NA, usually May-Sep

Food

Larvae prey on small arthropods; adults take nectar from flowers, and also feed on honeydew; some adults apparently do not feed(1)

Works Cited

1.	Window flies of the world (Diptera: Scenopinidae), by S. Winterton & S. Gaimari

2.	A revision of the Scenopinidae (Diptera) of the world Kelsey, L.P. 1969. Bulletin of the United States National Museum 277: 1-336.

Contributed by Chuck Entz on 24 December, 2006 - 10:18pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Robin McLeod, Keith Bayless, Bbarnd, Aaron Schusteff, Vox Sciurorum, v belov
Last updated 11 April, 2024 - 6:10am

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