Window-flies
Guides
Asiloidea
asiloid flies
Asiloidea is a large superfamily of true flies (Diptera: Brachycera) with cosmopolitan distribution. It comprises approximately 11 families including the well-known Asilidae (robber/assassin flies), Bombyliidae (bee flies), Therevidae (stiletto flies), Mydidae (mydas flies), and Scenopinidae (window flies). Adult morphology is characterized by antennae with no more than 4 flagellomeres, leg empodium usually setiform or absent, and wing venation featuring an elongate cell cup with vein CuA2 ending freely or meeting A1 near the wing margin. Larval synapomorphies include posterior spiracles arising dorsally from the penultimate abdominal segment and, in most families except Bombyliidae and Hilarimorphidae, a modified cranium forming a hinged metacephalic rod.
DipteraBrachyceraAsiloidearobber-fliesbee-fliesstiletto-fliesmydas-flieswindow-fliescosmopolitanarid-habitatspredatory-larvaeflower-visitorsparasitoidsbiological-controlAsilidaeBombyliidaeTherevidaeMydidaeScenopinidaeApioceridaeApsilocephalidaeApystomyiidaeEvocoidaeHilarimorphidaeMythicomyiidaeProtapioceridaephylogenysystematicsvenomouspredatorymystaxmetacephalic-roddichopticholopticJurassicCretaceoustherevoid-cladeNamib-DesertCanary-IslandsSaudi-ArabiaDominicaChileGermanyfossilcybertaxonomyopen-accessZooKeysBohart-MuseumWorld-Robber-Fly-DayBelosta
Belosta is a genus of small, slender flies in the family Scenopinidae, commonly known as window flies. The genus was established by Hardy in 1944 and is classified within the tribe Metatrichiini. Members of this genus are part of a family characterized by their distinctive wing venation and predatory habits as larvae. The genus is poorly documented in public sources, with limited species-level information available.
Caenotus
Caenotus is a genus of small, slender flies in the family Scenopinidae, commonly known as window flies. These insects are part of the subfamily Caenotinae and are characterized by their reduced wing venation and elongated bodies. The genus was established by Cole in 1923 and contains species primarily found in arid and semi-arid regions.
Prorates
Prorates is a genus of small predatory flies in the family Scenopinidae (window flies), established by Melander in 1906. The genus belongs to the subfamily Proratinae, which is characterized by distinctive morphological features and predatory habits. Members of this genus are poorly known biologically, with limited published information on their ecology and behavior. The genus is distinguished from other scenopinid genera primarily by structural characteristics of the head, antennae, and male terminalia.
Scenopinidae
window flies
Scenopinidae, commonly known as window flies, comprise approximately 400 described species of small brachyceran flies distributed worldwide. Adults are typically found on windows in buildings, giving rise to their common name. The family includes three subfamilies: Caenotinae, Proratinae, and Scenopininae. Larvae are predatory, inhabiting diverse environments from sandy arid soils to decaying organic matter, animal nests, and synanthropic settings. Two species, Scenopinus fenestralis and S. glabrifrons, have achieved cosmopolitan distributions through association with human trade.
Sylvicola
wood gnats, window gnats, window midges, window flies
Sylvicola is a genus of wood gnats in the family Anisopodidae containing over 80 described species. The genus is widely distributed across the western Palaearctic, with some species introduced to North America and oceanic islands. Adults are active year-round in temperate regions and are frequently observed indoors near windows, earning them the common name 'window gnats.' The most thoroughly documented species, S. cinctus, serves as a representative for understanding genus-level traits.