 Microscopic flies attracted to spider catching ant
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| Trev |
Posted on 19-03-2009 04:10
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Member Location: Posts: 107 Joined: 24.04.07 |
Hi all, I am wondering if any one is familiar with these extremely tiny flies that I have encountered a couple of times when I have found spiders with ants as prey. Could they be a type of Microdon? The spider in these frames is a female Zenodorus orbiculatus, a jumping spider given the common name here as "ant hunter". The female is typically 7mm long so you can see how tiny these flies are. Hope you like the "in flight" one. Didn't know I had gotten it till I got the pictures up on the computer. |
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| Trev |
Posted on 19-03-2009 04:11
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Member Location: Posts: 107 Joined: 24.04.07 |
A close up shot |
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| Paul Beuk |
Posted on 19-03-2009 08:22
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 Super Administrator Location: Posts: 19208 Joined: 11.05.04 |
I think they are chloropids. Some chloropids are reported to feed on eggs of spiders.
Paul - - - - Paul Beuk on https://diptera.info |
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| socrates |
Posted on 19-03-2009 11:01
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 Member Location: Posts: 109 Joined: 11.02.07 |
Milchiids?
tempus fugit |
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| Trev |
Posted on 19-03-2009 11:18
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Member Location: Posts: 107 Joined: 24.04.07 |
Thanks Socrates, I think you are right. I did a search and found that some species are kleptoparasitic and feed on the victims of spiders, some particularly feed on ant victims. These ones were definitely trying to get at the ant and the spider was swiping them away. |
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| Paul Beuk |
Posted on 19-03-2009 12:18
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Super Administrator Location: Posts: 19208 Joined: 11.05.04 |
Generally, if they were milichiids, they should be Desmometopa and as far as I am aware of these have never a colour pattern as shown in these pictures. Especially the yellowish third antennal segment, shape of the antennae and the yellowish genae would make me say Chloropidae.
Edited by Paul Beuk on 19-03-2009 12:18 Paul - - - - Paul Beuk on https://diptera.info |
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| Trev |
Posted on 19-03-2009 13:35
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Member Location: Posts: 107 Joined: 24.04.07 |
some 100% crops of the flies. Thanks for your input Paul, gees mate you must have good eyes to get all that detail from the pictures. I might need a new monitor, or new eyes |
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| Trev |
Posted on 19-03-2009 13:36
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Member Location: Posts: 107 Joined: 24.04.07 |
and the other one |
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| Trev |
Posted on 19-03-2009 13:47
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Member Location: Posts: 107 Joined: 24.04.07 |
Different spider, different ant, same type of fly. |
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| Paul Beuk |
Posted on 19-03-2009 14:48
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Super Administrator Location: Posts: 19208 Joined: 11.05.04 |
Still think it is Chloropidae. Lack of strong setae on the body and the wing venation also make me think that.
Paul - - - - Paul Beuk on https://diptera.info |
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| Muhammad Mahdi |
Posted on 20-03-2009 06:18
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 Member Location: Posts: 447 Joined: 26.12.08 |
I wouldn't know much but it looks very similar to this image of mine identified as Chloropidae http://www.diptera.info/forum/viewthread.php?forum_id=5&thread_id=19345 Muhammad ____________________ www.micro2macro.net |
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| Johl Daniel |
Posted on 26-04-2009 14:25
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Member Location: Posts: 6 Joined: 22.04.09 |
Looks like a Jackal Fly of the family Milichiidae. Johl Daniel |
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| Nosferatumyia |
Posted on 26-04-2009 16:07
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 Member Location: Posts: 3396 Joined: 28.12.07 |
A common milichiid behavior, but hardly one can tell if it is a chloropid or a milichiid
Val |
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| Paul Beuk |
Posted on 27-04-2009 07:33
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Super Administrator Location: Posts: 19208 Joined: 11.05.04 |
LoL, legs virtually devoid of setae and short fleshy mouthparts. I still say they are chloropids.
Paul - - - - Paul Beuk on https://diptera.info |
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| ibrake |
Posted on 28-01-2010 11:28
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Member Location: Posts: 64 Joined: 03.03.08 |
I agree with Paul that these are Chloropidae. Irina |
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but don't see the image in the post.
