Dilophus
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.
Dilophus spinipes
Dilophus spinipes is a species of march fly in the family Bibionidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1823. The genus Dilophus is distinguished from the related genus Bibio by having a ring of shorter teeth on the forelegs rather than long spurs. Members of this genus are typically smaller and less robust than Bibio, often with reddish coloration. Like other bibionids, adults are short-lived and emerge in large numbers during spring months.