Wormlions
Guides
Vermileonidae
wormlions
Vermileonidae is a small family of Brachycera flies comprising fewer than 80 described species in 11 genera. The family is notable for its unusual biology: larvae construct conical pitfall traps in sand to capture prey, while adults are slender, long-legged flies that visit flowers for nectar. Historically classified within Rhagionidae, Vermileonidae is now recognized as a distinct family due to marked morphological and biological differences. The group has a relictual distribution concentrated in arid regions of Africa and the western Mediterranean, with additional species in Asia and the Nearctic.