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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera) » Psychodomorpha » Moth Flies and Sand Flies (Psychodidae) » Moth Flies (Psychodinae)

Subfamily Psychodinae - Moth Flies

Classification · Other Common Names · Numbers · Size · Range · Habitat · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · See Also · Works Cited
Moth Fly - Clogmia albipunctata Moth - Clogmia albipunctata Mico moth - Clogmia albipunctata moth fly - Setomima nitida Clogmia albipunctata? - Clogmia albipunctata ? - Clogmia albipunctata Species A, unidentified genus? - Paramormia Lepiseodina superba
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon ("Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera))
Infraorder Psychodomorpha
Family Psychodidae (Moth Flies and Sand Flies)
Subfamily Psychodinae (Moth Flies)
Other Common Names
Drain Flies, Sewage Flies, Filth Flies
Numbers
~2,000 spp. in >120 genera total(1)
Size
1.5‒4 mm(2)
Range
worldwide
Habitat
Adults often found around sewage installations, in washrooms/bathrooms, and come to light; larvae live in organic sludge inside drains and sewage pipes; pupae on the same organic film where the larvae live
Food
Larvae feed on algae, fungi and bacteria in sewage and organic sludge; adults feed in polluted water and on flower nectar
Life Cycle
Indoors, females lay irregular masses of 30‒200 eggs in the organic gelatinous film lining drains in bathtubs/showers; eggs hatch within 32‒48 hrs at ambient temperatures ~20ºC; larvae pupate 9‒15 days later; pupa stage lasts 20‒40 hrs; adults live ~2 weeks
Remarks
Larvae play an important role in purifying sewage in industrial sewage treatment plants. Adults are weak fliers, covering only a few feet at a time in short erratic flights; can be blown considerable distances by wind.
See Also
Trichomyiinae, e.g. Quatiella or Trichomyia spp., may look similar
Works Cited
1.Thompson F.C., Pape T., Evenhuis N.L. (2013) Systema Dipterorum, Version 1.5
2.American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico
Ross H. Arnett. 2000. CRC Press.
Contributed by Omar Fahmy on 15 July, 2006 - 9:02am
Additional contributions by Chuck Entz, v belov, Harsi S. Parker, Robert H. Biagi
Last updated 20 January, 2024 - 6:00pm

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