Metamorphoses: complete North American Families: 108 North American Species: 18 200 |
Diptera
|
||
Description: The majority of the Diptera are small and soft-bodied insects. They have only one pair of membranous wings. The hind wings are reduced to small knobbed structures called halteres that are used as organs of balance during flight. Many flies also have a calypter or membranous lobe at the base the wings. They have large compound eyes and the mouthparts are adapted for sucking, piercing or sponging. The larvae, called maggots, are legless and wormlike . |
|||
Comments: The blood sucking flies are considered serious pests of humans and other animals. Saprophagous flies are also important vectors of disease. Some flies are considered beneficial as scavengers and also as predators and parasites of insect pests. Many of the Diptera have an aquatic larval stage. | |||
Families in this Order |
Agromyzidae: Leaf-miner flies Size: 1 to 8 mm |
Anthomyiidae: Anthomyiid flies or root-maggot flies Size: 2 to 12 mm |
Asilidae: Robber flies Size: 3 to 50 mm |
Bibionidae: March flies Size: 4 to 10 mm |
Bombyliidae: Bee flies Size: 2 to 20 mm |
Calliphoridae: Blow flies Size: 4 to 16 mm |
Cecidomyiidae: Gall midges or gall gnats Size: 1 to 5 mm |
Ceratopogonidae: Biting midges, Punkies or No-see-ums Size: 1 to 5 mm |
Chironomidae: Midges Size: 1 to 10 mm |
Chloropidae: Grass flies or frit flies Size: 2 to 10 mm |
Culicidae: Mosquitoes Size: 3 to 9 mm |
Dolichopodidae: Long-legged flies Size: 1 to 9 mm |
Empididae: Dance flies Size: 2 to 12 mm |
Ephydridae: Shore flies Size: 1 to 11 mm |
Heleomyzidae: Heleomyzid flies Size: 2 to 11 mm |
Lauxaniidae: Lauxaniid flies Size: 3 to 6 mm |
Muscidae: Muscid flies Size: 2 to 14 mm |
Mycetophilidae: Fungus Gnats Size: 2 to 13 mm |
Oestridae: Bot flies and warble flies Size: 9 to 25 mm |
Phoridae: Humbacked flies or scuttle flies Size: 1 to 6 mm |
Pipunculidae: Big-headed flies Size: 3 to 8 mm |
Psychodidae: Moth flies Size: 1 to 4 mm |
Rhagionidae: Snipe flies Size: 4 to 15 mm |
Sarcophagidae: Flesh flies Size: 3 to 18 mm |
Sciaridae: Dark-winged fungus gnats Size: 1 to 11 mm |
Sciomyzidae: Marsh flies and snail flies Size: 2 to 12 mm |
Sepsidae: Black scavenger flies Size: 2 to 8 mm |
Simuliidae: Black flies Size: 1 to 6 mm |
Sphaeroceridae: Small dung flies Size: 1 to 5 mm |
Stratiomyidae: Soldier flies Size: 2 to 18 mm |
Syrphidae: Syrphid flies or flower flies Size: 4 to 25 mm |
Tabanidae: Horse flies and deer flies Size: 6 to 30 mm |
Tachinidae: Tachinid flies Size: 3 to 15 mm |
Tephritidae: Fruit flies Size: 4 to 9 mm |
Tipulidae: Crane flies Size: 8 to 65 mm |