Xylophilic
Guides
Axymyia furcata
Axymyia furcata is a xylophilic, semi-aquatic nematoceran fly and the sole described species in the genus Axymyia. Once considered rare, the species has been documented across twenty U.S. states and two Canadian provinces in the eastern Nearctic. Its larvae develop in water-filled rot holes and cavities of living hardwood trees within deciduous forests. Research indicates post-glacial range expansion from southern Appalachian refugia, with possible survival in northern refugia including the Driftless area and southeastern Ohio.
Axymyiidae
A small family of nematoceran flies comprising four extant genera and nine described species, with eight additional fossil species. Axymyiidae is the sole member of the infraorder Axymyiomorpha, though historically classified within Bibionomorpha. The family is distributed across the Holarctic and Oriental regions. Larvae are xylophilic and semi-aquatic, developing in saturated decaying wood.
Clusiidae
druid flies
A family of small acalyptrate flies (approximately 3.5 mm) commonly known as druid flies. The family comprises 636 species in 14 genera across three subfamilies, with highest diversity in tropical regions. Adults are typically found on tree trunks, while larvae inhabit decaying wood. Several genera exhibit lekking behavior and territorial defense by males.
Leptacis
Leptacis is a genus of minute parasitoid wasps in the family Platygastridae. These wasps are known to parasitize gall midges (Cecidomyiidae), particularly those associated with freshly cut or damaged wood. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution with documented species across multiple continents. Leptacis wasps are typically less than 2 mm in length and are often overlooked due to their small size.