Root-maggots
Guides
Anthomyiidae
root-maggot flies, kelp flies, anthomyiid flies
Anthomyiidae is a large family of Muscoidea flies commonly known as root-maggot flies or kelp flies. Most species are small to moderate in size with drab grey to black coloration, though some genera such as Pegomya are yellow and others display black-and-white or black-and-silvery-grey patterns. The family exhibits diverse larval habits: many feed in stems and roots of plants, some are scavengers in birds' nests, others are leaf miners, and a few are kleptoparasites or inquilines. Several species are significant agricultural pests, particularly in the genus Delia.