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Genus Egle - Willow Catkin Flies

Willow Catkin Fly - Egle Small Blackish Fly - Egle - male simuliidae ? - Egle Fly - Egle - male fly pollinating willow catkin - Egle - male Fly ~4mm - Egle - female Fly ~5mm - Egle - male gray fly ovipositing on prairie willow catkin - Egle - female
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon (Calyptratae)
Superfamily Muscoidea
Family Anthomyiidae (Root-Maggot Flies)
Genus Egle (Willow Catkin Flies)
Identification
Usually hairy with a projecting "chin." Costa swollen near junction of R1. Most species associated with willow catkins as larvae and adults. Some of the hairier species have four postsutural dorsocentral bristles.
Season
When host plants flower, generally in early spring. Overwinters as pupa.
Food
Mostly pollen of its host plant (most Anthomyiidae do not visit flowers for pollen, only nectar).
Remarks
"Egle Robineau-Desvoidy is a modest-sized genus of small blackish anthomyiids with a Holarctic and northern Oriental distribution. They are univoltine, interacting closely with the host plants of their seed-feeding larvae, mainly species of willow (Salix), but also poplar (Populus) and false tamarisk (Myricaria) support some species." (Michelsen, 2009)
Print References
Griffiths, G. C. D. 2003. Flies of the Nearctic Region, Volume 8: Cyclorrapha II (Schizophora: Calyptratae), Part 2: Anthomyiidae, Number 14. Schweizerbart
Michelsen, Verner. 2009. Revision of the willow catkin flies, genus Egle Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), in Europe and neighbouring areas. Zootaxa 2043:1-76.