Diptera.info

Posted by Trev on 19-03-2009 04:10

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.

Posted by Paul Beuk on 19-03-2009 08:22

I think they are chloropids. Some chloropids are reported to feed on eggs of spiders.

Posted by Trev on 19-03-2009 11:18

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.

Posted by Paul Beuk on 19-03-2009 12:18

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

Posted by Trev on 19-03-2009 13:35

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

Posted by Paul Beuk on 19-03-2009 14:48

#10

Still think it is Chloropidae. Lack of strong setae on the body and the wing venation also make me think that.

Posted by Muhammad Mahdi on 20-03-2009 06:18

#11

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

Posted by Johl Daniel on 26-04-2009 14:25

#12

Looks like a Jackal Fly of the family Milichiidae.

Johl Daniel

Posted by Nosferatumyia on 26-04-2009 16:07

#13

A common milichiid behavior, but hardly one can tell if it is a chloropid or a milichiid

Posted by Paul Beuk on 27-04-2009 07:33

#14

LoL, legs virtually devoid of setae and short fleshy mouthparts. I still say they are chloropids.