Family Scenopinidae - Window Flies

WINDOW-FLIES: adults of one species, Scenopinus fenestralis, are commonly found at windows inside buildings

139 species in 9 genera in North America listed at nearctica.com

about 420 species in 24 genera worldwide listed at California Dept. of Food and Agriculture

adult rarely greater than 5 mm

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

cosmopolitan

various habitats; species diversity greatest in arid regions with dry sandy soil

adults usually found from May to September in North America

most larvae prey on small arthropods in leaf litter and soil

adults take nectar from flowers, and also feed on honeydew; some adults apparently do not feed

overview of family and world checklist (Shaun Winterton, Window-Flies of the World, California Dept. of Food and Agriculture)

description of adults and other info (L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz, British Insects: the Families of Diptera, delta-intkey.com)

pinned adult image of Scenopinus fenestralis (Insects of Cedar Creek, Minnesota)

species information and link to images of Metatrichia bulbosa (Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard U., Massachusetts)

common names reference [Window Flies, Windoe Flies] (ITIS)