Bibionomorpha
Guides
Bibionidae
March flies, lovebugs, honeymoon flies
Bibionidae is a family of medium-sized flies (Diptera) comprising approximately 650–700 species worldwide. Adults are characterized by thickset bodies, moniliform antennae, and distinctive stout spurs on the front tibiae used by females for digging. The family includes notable genera such as Bibio, Dilophus, and Plecia—the latter containing the famous 'lovebugs' known for prolonged copulatory pairing. Adults of many species are nectar feeders and important pollinators, while larvae are soil-dwelling decomposers and occasional plant pests.
Hesperinus
Hesperinus is the sole genus in the relict family Hesperinidae, a small group of nematoceran flies in the infraorder Bibionomorpha. The genus contains approximately 8 extant species distributed primarily across the Palaearctic region, with single species in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions. Three fossil species have been described from Eocene Baltic amber. The family represents a phylogenetically isolated lineage with limited ecological and biological documentation.
Pachyneuridae
Pachyneuridae is a small family of flies in the infraorder Bibionomorpha, containing at least 8 described species across 7 genera. The family is poorly studied, with limited information on adult morphology and behavior. Larvae are known to inhabit rotting wood. The family has a scattered distribution with records from northern Europe and Southeast Asia.