Chamaemyiidae
Guides
Chamaemyia
silver-flies
Chamaemyia is a genus of small flies in the family Chamaemyiidae, commonly known as silver-flies. It serves as the type genus for its family. Larvae of at least one species, Chamaemyia polystigma, are known predators of mealybugs, suggesting a broader role in biological control within the genus.
Leucopis
silver flies
Leucopis is a genus of predatory flies in the family Chamaemyiidae comprising at least 40 described species. Commonly known as silver flies, these insects are specialized predators of adelgids (woolly aphids), with several species under active investigation and release as biological control agents for invasive forest pests. Species such as Leucopis argenticollis and L. piniperda from the Pacific Northwest are being deployed against the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) in eastern North America, while L. obscura has been documented as a predator of the balsam woolly aphid (Adelges piceae) in Maine.
Leucopis americana
silver fly
Leucopis americana is a species of silver fly in the family Chamaemyiidae, described by Malloch in 1921. Members of this genus are predatory insects that have been investigated as potential biological control agents for hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae). The species is part of a group of Leucopis flies under evaluation for release in eastern North America to control this invasive forest pest.
Parochthiphila
Parochthiphila is a genus of small flies in the family Chamaemyiidae, established by Czerny in 1904. Species occur in Europe, Africa, and the Mediterranean region, with records extending to Oman. The genus includes at least two subgenera: Parochthiphila and Euestelia. Taxonomic revisions remain ongoing, with new species described as recently as 2008.
Plunomia
Plunomia is a genus of flies in the family Chamaemyiidae, described by Curran in 1934. Members of this family are commonly known as aphid flies or chammy flies, many of which are predators or parasitoids of aphids and other Homoptera. The genus is rarely encountered and poorly represented in collections, with only two observations recorded on iNaturalist. Chamaemyiidae as a whole are small, delicate flies that occupy a specialized ecological niche as biological control agents.