The family flies, which for the most part consist of very small flies, I
have put on a separate page. It's an alfabetical sequence. I have used the scientific (Latin) name
of the families.
Miner flies (Agromyzidae) Miner flies. The larvae mainly mine leaves and stems of herbaceous plants. But they can also occur in roots and seeds. A
page about Miner flies from Joke van Erkelens.
Agromyza ferruginosa. Family Agromyzidae.
The larva of Agromyza ferruginosa mines on plantsof the borage family (Boraginaceae) like
Anchusa, lungworts and comfrey. A number of eggs are deposited at the underside of the leaf.
First the larvae eat a communual corridor. Than they make a large brown blotch.
Here
information..
Determined by Milos Cerny from Czech Republic. Thanks Milos.
I haven't measured the fly. I think about five mm. It is striking orange.
Europe.
Photos 3-7-2012.
Napomyza sp. Familie miner flies (Agromyzidae).
Very small miner flies. About 2 - 3 mm. I had asked about these flies on Diptera and received
answer from Miloš from the Czech Republic:
I think the same as the fly on the site
http://aramel.fre...15-7.shtml
Phytobia lateralis. But I couldn't find
information about this species.
Answer: The fly on the site and this specimen isn't Cerodontha (Poemyza)
lateralis, rather is it Napomyza sp.
Miloš
Maybe Napomyza gymnostoma from Central Europe. This fly can be
harmful.
Photos 3-7-2011.
Grassflies
(Chloropidae) Although there are larger flies, most
are very small. 1 to 4 mm. Often yellowish, greenish. The larvae often feed on
living or dead organic matter. Some live on flowers and stems of grasses and they can be harmful.
Grassfly spec.Thaumatomyia spec. Family Grassflies (Chloropidae).
The small flies in this family are very similar. (Therefore spec.) These
flies are yellow with black stripes, but there are also flies with other
colours.
These photos were taken in March.
The larvae of the
grass fly live in grass stems.
Length: 2, 3 mm. March - November.
Photos
15-03-2012.
Meromyza spec.
Family
Grassflies (Chloropidae).
There
are like always similar species.
Photos 14-6-2011 and 16-6-2011 Together with a carpet beetle.
Oscinella.
Family
Grassflies (Chloropidae).
Frit Fly - Oscinella frit is possible. But it is
very similar to Oscinella pulsilla Meigen and O. grossa Mesnil. This
species is black and shiny.
About 3 mm. The larvae feed on various plants of the grass family.
Photo's 13-9-2011
Here on a chestnut. So you can see how small they really are.
Drosophilidae
Very small flies, but there are also some larger species. Length 1.5 to 7 mm. The larvae of most species live in decaying organic material. Such as fruit, mushrooms. However, there are mineerders and predators.
Drosophila, maybe Drosophila
subobscura. Family Drosophilidae
Here on a watermelon. After the melon had been lying outside
for one day, a lot of these flies appeared .
Photos 2-4-2011
Shore flies, brine flies
(Ephydridae)
The flies of the family Ephydridae are often found near seashores and
inland waters. They feed on algae, bacteria. They are tiny flies.
However there are also lager members of the family.
Athyroglossa glabra. Family
shore flies, brine flies (Ephydridae).
The Athyroglossa glabra in this picture is about 2 to 3 mm. It spreads its
front legs in a characteristic way. A shiny black fly with yellow on its
legs. Photos
2-3-2011.
Photos 2-3-2011
Limnellia quadrata. Family
shore flies, brine flies (Ephydridae).
The Limnellia quadrata in this picture is about 3 mm. The thorax and wings have a distinctive pattern. If you see the fly, you
don't notice. For it is too small.
Photos 23-02-2012.
Notiphila spec. Family
shore flies, brine flies (Ephydridae).
This gray-brown fly I noticed, when I took plants from the pond. I see them only near the pond.
About 5 mm.
Photos 30-6-2012.
Hybotidae
Family members 1 mm to about 6 mm. There are three subfamilies. Namely
Hybotinae, Ocydromiinae and Tachydromiinae. The arista is long. Slender legs. They
often run back and forth. So they are difficult to photograph. They are predators
of small insects.
Ocydromia
glabricula.
Subfamily Ocydromiinae.
Family Hybotidae.
Striking
black and orange.
Length about 3-4,5 mm.
Photos 19-10-2012.
Platypalpus
spec.
Subfamily Tachydromiinae.
Family Hybotidae.
Length about 3-4 mm.
Photos 30-12-2011
Tachydromia spec. Subfamily
Tachydromiinae. Family Hybotidae.
In the Netherlands there are twelve native species.
Length 3 mm.
Photos 16-10- 2012. Last with prey.
Tachypeza nubila.
Subfamily Tachydromiinae.
Family Hybotidae.
Lengt about
3-4 mm.
Photos 24-9-2012.
Lauxaniidae
The flies can be 2 to 7 mm. In the family are many different
species. Matt, but also glossy. Black, but also colored. Larvae of this family live in different places. In
fungi, decaying plants, in bird nests, sometimes they are leafminers.
Minettia longipennis. FamilyLauxaniidae. In May I see many Minettias in the garden. A dark fly with very light
wings.
Photos 24-6-2011 and 18-5-2009
Lauxaniidae.
I don't know the species.
Photo 11-6-2011 . Photos 18-10-2008
Minettia
fasciata. Family
Lauxanidae.
Photos 12-6-2011.
Minettia
inusta.Family
Lauxanidae.
Recognizable by the dark border and stripe on the wings.
Length about 4 mm. Europe
Photos 14-6-2011.
Calliopum spec. Family
Lauxaniidae.
The two most common very similar species are Calliopum simillimum and
Calliopum aeneum. The stripes on the eyes are striking.
Photos
2-10-2010
Lance flies, Lonchaeidae
Small but robustly built dark flies 3 to 6 mm. Larvae: Usually mold, under the bark of dead trees. But some species feed
on other plant material or even bait.
Lance flies, Lonchaeidae
There are some very similar flies.
This fly has a beautiful shiny
metallic body.
Foto's 5-5-2010 and 12-8-201
Lonchopteridae.
Slender flies with pointed wings. Length 2 to 5 mm. Long legs. Larvae
live in decaying organic material. Often in damp places.
Lonchoptera lutea. Family
Lonchopteridae.
The colour varies fromyellowto
dark brown. Thelarvais
dorsally
flattened. Europe and partsof Asia.
Photo 23-03-2012
Lonchoptera spec. Family
Lonchopteridae.
It isn't possible to indentify this fly. The photos are
taken some years ago.
Photos 6-10-2008
Pallopteridae A characteristic of many flies in this family is gray
silvery white spot on the head. Many species have spotted wings. They often live in shady places. Size of the different species: 2.5 mm - 7 mm.We know little about the larvae. The larvae live under the bark of trees as predators of larvae of bark beetles and longhorn beetles. But there also seem to be species
on flower heads or in stems of Umbelliferae which feed on plant juices.
Palloptera
umbellatarum.Family
Pallopteridae.
I found this fly in the scullery. It was just sitting on the paper when I took it out.
Length about 4 mm.
Europe
Photos 10-7-2010.
Palloptera
muliebris.Family
Pallopteridae.
This fly was
also in our scullery. It often has its wings spread like the peacock flies,
but it can fold the wings on its body like thePalloptera
umbellatarum. The wing
pattern is distinctive. The clear middle area of the wings is surrounded
by light and dark brown markings.
Length about 5 mm.
May - October. Europe.
Photo 11.11.2012. Late in the year.
Phorid
flies (Phoridae)
Flies from 0.5 mm to 6 mm. Striking are the circular antennas with a long arista and the veins of the wings
with the thick upper veins. The larvae live under different circumstances. (water, organic matter, parasitic ...)
Phorid
fly spec.FamilyPhorid
flies (Phoridae)
I
don't know the species. It was caught in a spider thread. The long legs have therefore a somewhat strange position.
After I had taken the photo, I released it as a reward.
Photo 15-1-2012
Bochelvlieg
spec.FamilieBochelvliegen
(Phoridae).
If you see a small black
fly, which runs to and fro on a leaf, you have great probability that it is family of this species.
Foto 14-4-2012
Flat-footed flies (Platypezidae)
Flies from 1.5 mm to 6 mm. Slender or stocky flies (like Protoclythia) Short legs. The male (sometimes female) have enlarged, flattened tarsus
segments.
Platypeza spec. (probably) Family flat-footed flies (Platypezidae).
male
The blackfly has largebrightorange eyes.You can see themwalking back
and forthonleaves. In this family the males differmuchin colourwithfemales.But the
males of many different species are very similar. It
is therefore oftennotpossible
to determine.
Protoclythia rufa. Family flat-footed flies (Platypezidae).
The M vein of the wing is forked. Approximately 3 mm.
Photos 2-10-2010
Black scavenger flies
or ensign flies (Sepsidae)
The larvae develop on dung or decaying plant and animal material. A
beautiful shining black fly with a body shaped like an ant's.
Black scavenger fly or ensign fly
Sepsis spec. Family Black scavenger flies
or ensign flies (Sepsidae).
Lesser
dung fly (Sepsis fulgens) is is the most common species. It has a
wing-waving habit. On the wing a dark spot.
German: Schwingfliegen
Photos 9-5-2009, 2-4-2011
Nemopoda nitidula. Family Black scavenger flies
or ensign flies (Sepsidae).
A thougt they were Themira spec. Larger species without the dark spot on the
wings. But there is another species with wings without dark spots. Namely
Nemopoda nitidula. Thanks Niels-Jan. Look at forum
waarneming. (in
Dutch. I'm sorry.)
Photos 29-4-2009
Sepsis punctum. Familie
wenkvliegen, wappervliegen, swingvliegen (Sepsidae).
Also
larger. Striking orange red.
Photos 27-3-2012.
Peacock flies,
Fruit flies (Tephritidae) Flies
of another family
Drosophilidae are also called "fruit fly". Tephritidae have
beautiful drawn wings. The females lay eggs in plants using their
"drill". A site with more species of Tephritidae: Tephritidae.
Anomoia
purmunda. FamilyPeacock
flies, fruit flies (Tephritidae).
The base of the wing is dark. In the upper part you can see dark lines.
Females drill holes in the fruit of the hawthorn and other members of the
rose family, which they lay their eggs.
Lengte 4 - 5 mm. April - September.
German: Weißdorn-Bohrfliege
Photos 12-8-2010.
Photos 19-8-2011.
Rhagoletis meigenii. Family
Peacock flies, fruit flies (Tephritidae).
In
the Netherlands there are 5 Rhagoletis species. R. altenera, R. batava R. cerasi,
R. indifferens rare. Wereldwijd zijn het er wel vijftig.
Features: Pre-apical transverse band shorter, Runs from R4 +5 to the trailing
edge of the wing. Yellow hairy head.
It can be found on barberry.
Length about 4 mm.
April - September
Photo 27-6-2011
Chetostoma
curvinerve.
Family
Peacockflies, fruit fliesTephritidae).
According to John Smith: The biology of Chetostoma curvinerve is still unknown, suspected that the species lives as a parasite in the galls of sawflies on honeysuckle,
Lonicera, probably also on alien and planted honeysuckles. I have in my garden the wild honeysuckle.
There are not many observations. Probably, this is the most northerly sighting of this
species (2011).
It is spread throughout the Mediterranean area. In 2000 was the first sighting in the Netherlands.
Length about 6 mm. For a peacockfly it is a very large fly. April-September
Photos 17-4-2011
Euleia
heraclei.
Family
Peacockflies, fruitflies
(Tephritidae).
This fly is shiny black or shiny brown. Sometimes with a yellow scutellum. The legs and head are yellow.
The larvae mine in various plants of the carrot or parsley family (Apiaceae), such as giant hogweed (Heracleum), but also in celery, parsley and parsnip. That may damage them. The pupae overwinter in the soil.
Length 4 to 6 mm. Europe, Central Asia.
Photo 16-4-2012.
Photo 28-92012. This Euleia heraclei looks very different. The markings on the wings are the same.
Opomyzidae
Slender flies. 2 to 5 mm. Colours are different. The larvae live in the stem of grass. Sometimes they are harmful.
Opomyza germinationis or Opomyza
petrei. Family Opomyzidae
The pattern on the abdomen of the two species is different. The wings are
mottled. Approximately 3 mm. The larvae live in grass stems.
Photos 25-9-2010
Geomyza tripunctata Family Opomyzidae
I saw this fly walking on an euphorbia in the garden. There are three spots on the wings. Hence the name "tripunctata".
Eggs are laid at the base of grasses. The grass shoots and young leaves are eaten by maggots. They pupate after about 30 days.
Length up to 4 mm. May to November.
Photos 16-10-2011
Small dung flies, lesser dung flies or lesser corpse flies
(Sphaeroceridae)
There are very small flies in this family. From 0.7 to 5.5 mm.
Robust black flies. The first segment of the tarsus of the hind leg is swollen. The larvae live in decaying organic matter in dung and droppings. They
don't fly very well..
Small dung fly. Family Sphaeroceridae. Family Small dung flies, lesser dung flies or lesser corpse flies
(Sphaeroceridae).
Lotophila atra, maybe!! Subfamily Copromyzinae. Family Small dung flies, lesser dung flies or lesser corpse flies
(Sphaeroceridae).
A shiny dark fly with red eyes of about 3 mm, which can be found
on our compost heap.
According to Paul Beech: Copromyzinae. Perhaps Lotophila atra, but if you can get a specimen for me I can tell you more / for certain.
I did not sent fly. It's therefore uncertain. Thanks Paul!
In the last photo you can see the swollen first segment of the tarsus of
the hind leg. Photos 8-4-2013.
I want to thank everyone, who has helped me (waarneming.nl)
to identify. In particular, Joke van Erkelens, Robert Heemskerk, Mark van Veen,
Gerard Pennard, Niels-Jan Dek and Han Endt. With the determination of Tachinidae I have had
much help from Theo Zeegers and Chris Raper. (On diptera)
Nederlands /
Dutch
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