CONDYLOSTYLUS SP.

CONDYLOSTYLUS SP.

Condylostylus sp.
LONG-LEGGED FLY FAMILY (Dolichopodidae)

This fly is approximately 1/4 inch (6 mm) in length. Eyes can be red to green. The thorax can be metallic green to bronze with sparse, spiky black hairs. The abdomen can be metallic green to metallic bronze, is spherical and also has a few spiky black hairs. The wings are clear with black veins basally and are mostly black distally. The legs are gray to black and very long.

 

This fly is known to be present in June and and August and can be found on vegetation where it searches for small insect prey.

 

This is a large family of small flies (40 species in North America) with metallic green or bronze bodies and long legs. Many are very similar and difficult to identify to species from photographs. The males display their legs to the females in a courtship display. The adults and larvae are predacious on small insects. The larvae develop in wet to dry soil and pupate in cocoons made up of soil particles cemented together.

 

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