Flutter Flies

Pallopteridae

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Superfamily: Tephritoidea
Family: Pallopteridae

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Pallopteridae: //ˌpælˌɒptəˈrɪdiː//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Toxonevra muliebris 87814268 by Paul Braun. Used under a CC0 license.

Flutter-wing Fly (31821292125) by Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Flutter-wing Fly (31024971214) by Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Flutterwing Fly - Flickr - treegrow by Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Flutter Fly - Toxonevra superba, Julie Metz Wetlands, Woodbridge, Virginia by Judy Gallagher. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Flutter-wing Fly (31448487820) by Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Summary

Pallopteridae, known as flutter-wing flies, comprise about 70 species across 12 genera, characterized by their distinctive wing vibrations and ecological roles in temperate regions. Their larvae are known to prey on certain beetle larvae, contributing to ecosystem balance.

Physical Characteristics

Medium-sized or relatively small flies, wings usually conspicuously longer than the abdomen, with dark markings; proboscis short and thick; ovipositor with a non-retractile sheath.

Identification Tips

Identification can be aided by the presence of dark smoky apical spots on wings, particularly in Palloptera ustulata; absence of vibrissae on the head; parallel or divergent postvertical bristles.

Habitat

Adults are found on flowers and low-hanging branches in shady habitats, while larvae inhabit under bark and in flower buds and stems.

Distribution

Widespread throughout North America and temperate regions of the world, including both Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Diet

Adults are nectarivorous; larvae may be phytophagous or predaceous, feeding on longhorn and bark beetle larvae (Cerambycidae, Curculionidae: Scolytinae).

Reproduction

Details on reproduction are not specified; ovipositor structure suggests potential oviposition in specific substrates like bark or plant tissue.

Ecosystem Role

Larvae play a role in pest control by preying on beetle larvae.