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Photo#238312
Litter Critter

Litter Critter
Norfolk, Virginia, USA
November 6, 2008
Size: ~2.5mm
Found while sifting through leaf litter.

This is probably not even a bug, but some kind of worm and I wouldn't have even submitted it except for the way it moves itself. Very similar to a caterpillar and you can even see small 'nubs' on its underside which are used to push itself along.

Anybody know what this is? I'll frass the images if it is not a bug :^)

Images of this individual: tag all
Litter Critter Litter Critter

Raising larvae
I realize that it is too late now; but if you get another chance, try to raise them. I got the family ID for
when I raised it. Surprisingly, it wasn't too hard.

Moved
Moved from Flies.

Diptera
This is a fly larva. However, identifying it to family could be impossible. It is probably in the Cyclorrhapha, though it may be an empidoid (though unlikely). That's maggots for you - fairly uniform. Those 'nubs' are called creeping welts in flies.

 
Thanks!
For some reason, I didn't even think of it being a maggot.

 
This is an acalyptrata fly, s
This is an acalyptrata fly, something close to Otitidae, but there are many families which have very similar larvae...

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