Filth-flies
Guides
Fanniidae
lesser house flies, little house flies
Fanniidae is a small family of true flies comprising approximately 285 species in five genera. Adults are medium-sized to small with predominantly dark body and leg coloration. Males form characteristic dancing swarms beneath trees, while females are more retiring. Larvae possess flattened bodies with prominent lateral protuberances and develop as scavengers in decaying organic matter. The family is primarily distributed in the Holarctic and temperate Neotropical realms, with limited representation in other biogeographic regions.