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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Orthorrhapha » Empidoidea » Dance Flies (Empididae) » Empidinae » Rhamphomyia » Long-tailed Dance Fly (Rhamphomyia longicauda)
Photo#44793
Long-tailed Dance Fly - Rhamphomyia longicauda - female
Copyright © 2006 Robin McLeod

Long-tailed Dance Fly - Rhamphomyia longicauda - Female
near Ailsa Craig, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada
June 27, 2003
These are the photos from 2003 mentioned here that were identified as R. longicauda by Jeff Cumming. I don't see anything in these poor shots that isn't visible in either my 2004 photo (taken in the same location), or Patrick's 2005 photos, so I assume they're the same species. Maybe the female's hairy legs and black color are distinctive?

Internet records show R. longicauda occurring in North Carolina, Maryland, and Ontario. No doubt it occurs elsewhere but I couldn't find any more info.
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Contributed by Robin McLeod on 12 March, 2006 - 11:47pm
Last updated 11 June, 2007 - 7:42am

Bizarre behavior.
I'm giving away a great story that will be illustrated in 'my' forthcoming field guide, but the coursthip of this species is truly bizarre. Like many empidids, the males bring food gifts to the females, but only to females they perceive to be full of eggs. So,....females without fully-developed eggs bluff the males by inflating sacs on the sides of their abdomens! These "inflated" females swarm at dusk and dawn for brief periods, attracting the prey-carrying males.
… Eric R. Eaton, 13 March, 2006 - 12:26pm login or register to post comments

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