Class Insecta Order Diptera Suborder Brachycera Family Syrphidae
Anthomyiidae
Asilidae
Bombyliidae
Calliphoridae
Dolichopodida
Heleomyzidae
Muscidae
Platystomatidae
Sarcophagidae
Scathophagidae
Sepsidae
Stratiomyidae
Syrphidae
Tabanidae
Tachinidae
Tephritidae
Hoverflies, also called flower flies, are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers. They keep off predators using mimicry, looking like stinging bees, bumblebees, wasps, hornets.
Class Insecta Order Diptera Suborder Brachycera Families Muscidae, Platystomatidae, Sarcophagidae
Class Insecta Order Diptera Suborder Brachycera Families Anthomyiidae, Asilidae, Bombyliidae
Anthomyiidae
From ancient Greek anthos (flower) + myia (a fly). The larvae of some species are found in the roots of various plants. Generally grey, the genus Anthomyia though is patterned in characteristic black-and-white.
Bombyliidae
They are called bee flies, as they often mimic Apoidea in livery and behavior. By eye, they can be distinguished from Syrphidae by their hairier overall appearance. Adults feed on nectar and pollen. Larvae generally are parasitoids of other insects.
Asilidae They are also called “assassin flies”. Their body is very powerful and they feed other insects, also catching them in flight.
Class Insecta Order Diptera Suborder Brachycera Families Calliphoridae, Dolichopodidae Heleomyzidae
Order Diptera From ancient Greek di = two + pteron = wing
2 wings and 2 halteres.
complete metamorphosis
130 Families, 125,000 described species.
Class Insecta Order Diptera Suborder Brachycera Families Scathophagidae, Sepsidae, Stratiomyidae
Class Insecta Order Diptera Suborder Brachycera Families Tabanidae, Tachinidae, Tephritidae
Suborder Brachycera
Class Insecta Order Diptera Suborder Nematocera
Calliphoridae
Commonly known as blow flies, carrion flies, bluebottles, greenbottles, or cluster flies, they often lay eggs on the meat. Adults have metallic colours, with blue, green, or black thoraces and abdomens.
Dolichopodidae
They are small flies with large, prominent eyes and a metallic cast to their appearance. Most have long legs and are predatory.
Heleomyzidae They vary from yellow to red or brown to black. “Unusual” is to see in some of them red eyes on red bodies. They are attracted to carcasses and faeces. Larvae feed on decaying plant and animal matter
Muscidae It’s the family of common flies. They are attracted to various substances including sugar, sweat, tears and blood..
Sarcophagidae
From the Greek sarx = flesh, phagein = to eat, they are commonly known as flesh flies. They are ovoviviparous, do not depose eggs, but maggots on carrion, dung, decaying material.
Platystomatidae “Signal flies” are very different in shape, and bizarre forms of morphology and behaviour occur in this family.
Scathophagidae They are often known as dung flies, according to the behaviour of the yellow dung fly (Sc. stercoraria), the most known of this family. But it is not true for many other species.
Sepsidae From Greek Sespis = "rot ", they are called also the black scavenger flies or ensign flies. They are found around dung or decaying plant and animal material. Many species resemble ants, having a "waist" and glossy black body.
Stratiomyidae
They are called the soldier flies (from Greek stratiotes = soldier + myia = fly). They commonly are partly or wholly metallic green, or somewhat wasplike mimics.
Tabanidae Horseflies are often large, and the females bite animals, including humans, to obtain blood. Adult male horse-flies feed on nectar and plant fluids.
Tachinidae The maggots of these flies are parasitoids of other insects, above all butterflies and moths, so that they are also used in agriculture against harmful caterpillars. Adult Tachinids sometimes do not feed at all.
Tephritidae The scientific name of fruit flies comes from the Greek tephros, meaning "ash grey". Often colourful, they have usually characteristic pictured wings,
The name means "thread-horns”. The larvae of most families of Nematocera are aquatic. Female Mosquitoes feed on blood, whereas Crane flies are vegetarians.
Suborder Nematocera
Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Arthropoda, Subphylum Hexapoda, Class Insecta
Ancient Greek brachys = short + kera = antenna
Ancient Greek nématos = filament + kera = antenna
Flies don't have a good reputation, but they are important pollinators and, by combining wings, halteres and mobile head together, they have developed unrivaled flying ability.
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.JPG "Chrysotoxum bicinctum")
.JPG "Episyrphus balteatus")
.JPG "Episyrphus balteatus")
.jpg "Eristalinus megacephalus")
.JPG "Eristalinus sepulchralis")
.JPG "Meliscaeva cinctella")
.JPG "Myathropa florea")
.JPG "Myathropa florea")
.JPG "Myathropa florea")
.JPG "Meliscaeva cinctella")
.JPG "Sphaerophoria scripta, m")
.JPG "Syrphus ribesii")
.JPG "Volucella zonaria")
.JPG "Volucella zonaria")
.jpg "Villa hottentotta, f")
.jpg "Villa hottentotta, f")
.jpg "Villa hottentotta, f")
.JPG "Scathophaga stercoraria, m")
.jpg "Hermetia illucens")
.JPG "Philipomyia aprica")
.JPG "Philipomyia aprica")
.JPG "Philipomyia aprica")
.jpg "Nephrotoma sp.")
