Flies
Order Diptera
368 speciesCharacterized by having only two wings, with the hindwings reduced to halteres used for balance. Diptera includes mosquitoes, gnats, midges, and true flies.
Species in this Order
Mediterranean Fruit Fly
Ceratitis capitata
A small colorful fruit fly with patterned wings and a yellowish body. It is one of the world's most ...
Melas Malaria Mosquito
Anopheles melas
The West African saltwater-breeding member of the Anopheles gambiae complex, breeding in mangrove sw...
Melon Fly
Zeugodacus cucurbitae
A reddish-yellow fruit fly that is a major pest of melons, cucumbers, and other cucurbits. It has sp...
Merus Malaria Mosquito
Anopheles merus
A saltwater-breeding member of the Anopheles gambiae complex found along the East African coast. It ...
Mexican Cactus Fly
Copestylum mexicanum
A large, dark hoverfly whose larvae develop in decaying cactus tissue. Adults are strong fliers visi...
Midge
Chironomus plumosus
A delicate, mosquito-like fly with feathery antennae that forms enormous mating swarms at dusk. Desp...
Midge Gall Fly
Asphondylia sarothamni
A gall midge that induces pod-like galls on broom shrubs. Its larvae develop inside swollen seed pod...
Minimus Malaria Mosquito
Anopheles minimus
A small mosquito found along the foothills and valleys of Southeast Asia, breeding in slow-moving, c...
Montane Crane Fly
Tipula montana
A common crane fly in mountain forests and adjacent meadows. Larvae develop in damp forest soils ric...
Mosquito
Aedes aegypti
A vector for dengue, yellow fever, Zika, and chikungunya. Only females bite, needing blood protein f...
Mountain Dance Fly
Empis pennipes
A predatory fly with feathery leg fringes used in aerial mating displays. Males offer prey gifts wra...
Mountain Fungus Gnat
Boletina alpina
A delicate, long-legged gnat found in damp montane forests. Larvae develop in fungi and decaying woo...
Mountain Hover Fly
Arctophila superbiens
A furry, bumblebee-mimicking hover fly of alpine meadows. Its dense body hair helps it retain heat i...
Mountain Long-legged Fly
Dolichopus alpinus
A metallic green fly with long legs found in damp alpine meadows. Males perform elaborate courtship ...
Mountain Midge
Deuterophlebia coloradensis
A tiny midge whose larvae cling to rocks in fast-flowing alpine streams with suction discs....
Mountain Net-Winged Midge
Blepharicera capitata
A large net-winged midge of Appalachian mountain streams. Larvae require extremely clean, well-oxyge...
Mountain Prosimulium
Prosimulium mixtum
An early-season black fly of cold mountain streams in North America. Larvae develop in small headwat...
Mountain Robber Fly
Machimus rusticus
A powerful aerial predator found in dry mountain meadows and rocky slopes. It catches other insects ...
Mydas Fly
Gauromydas heros
The largest fly in the world at up to 60 mm long with a 100 mm wingspan. A wasp mimic with black bod...
Myiasis-Causing Flesh Fly
Wohlfahrtia vigil
A large flesh fly found in North America that causes obligate dermal myiasis in small animals includ...
Narcissus Bulb Fly
Merodon equestris
A bumble bee-mimicking hoverfly that comes in multiple color forms matching different bumblebee spec...
Narrow-banded Hoverfly
Meliscaeva auricollis
A small hoverfly with narrow yellow crescent markings on a dark abdomen. It is among the first hover...
Narrow-winged Bee Fly
Systoechus vulgaris
A small, hairy bee fly with a rounded body and a short proboscis compared to Bombylius species. It h...
Natal Fruit Fly
Ceratitis rosa
A colorful African fruit fly closely related to the Mediterranean fruit fly. It attacks tropical and...
Neavei Black Fly
Simulium neavei
A small black fly whose larvae uniquely attach to freshwater crabs rather than rocks or vegetation. ...
Neotropical Robber Fly
Ommatius orenoquensis
A slender tropical robber fly found in South American lowland forests. It hunts from leaf tips in th...
New Caledonian Monarch Fly
Bactrocera umbrosa
A fruit fly found in New Caledonia and the western Pacific. It is a pest of breadfruit and jackfruit...
New Zealand Glowworm
Arachnocampa luminosa
A bioluminescent fungus gnat larva endemic to New Zealand. Produces blue-green light to lure prey in...
New Zealand Sandfly
Austrosimulium ungulatum
A small black fly endemic to New Zealand that inflicts painful bites, particularly notorious in the ...
Noisy Tachinid
Tachina fera
A large tawny-orange tachinid fly commonly found basking on vegetation in late summer. It parasitize...
Noon Fly
Mesembrina meridiana
A large stocky black fly with bright orange wing bases. It basks in sunshine on walls and fences at ...
Northern Black Fly
Simulium venustum
A common biting black fly of northern forests and boreal streams. Larvae form dense colonies on subm...
Northern House Mosquito
Aedes hexodontus
A dark-colored Arctic mosquito with distinctive banding on the abdomen. It breeds in tundra pools an...
Nose Bot Fly of Horses
Gasterophilus haemorrhoidalis
A dark-bodied bot fly that deposits reddish-black eggs around the lips of horses. Larvae penetrate t...
Notch-horned Cleg
Haematopota pluvialis
A grey horse fly with mottled wings that approaches silently before biting. It is one of the most co...
Ochraceum Black Fly
Simulium ochraceum
A small orangish-brown black fly that is the principal vector of onchocerciasis in Central America a...
Old World Screwworm
Chrysomya bezziana
An obligate wound parasite of mammals found across Africa and Asia. Larvae invade wounds and feed on...
Olive Fruit Fly
Bactrocera oleae
A small fly that exclusively attacks olive fruits, causing billions in crop losses. Larvae tunnel th...
Onchocerciasis Black Fly
Simulium damnosum
The primary vector of river blindness in West and Central Africa. Larvae thrive in oxygen-rich rapid...
Orange Wheat Blossom Midge
Sitodiplosis mosellana
A small orange-colored gall midge that lays eggs in wheat flowers. Its bright orange larvae feed on ...
Oriental Fruit Fly
Bactrocera dorsalis
A highly polyphagous tropical fruit fly attacking over 400 host plant species. It is one of the most...
Oriental Latrine Fly
Chrysomya megacephala
A metallic blue-green blow fly originally from the Oriental region that has spread globally. It is b...
Ornate Soldier Fly
Odontomyia ornata
A medium-sized soldier fly with a green and black patterned abdomen and a somewhat flattened body. A...
Orthoclad Stream Midge
Orthocladius oblidens
A small non-biting midge typical of cold running water habitats. Larvae build silk tubes on stone su...
Owl Midge
Clogmia albipunctata
A small fuzzy moth-like fly found in bathrooms and drains worldwide. Its larvae feed on gelatinous f...
Ozark Stiletto Fly
Thereva frontalis
A medium-sized stiletto fly with a grayish body covered in fine pale hairs and clear wings. It is co...
Painted Bee Fly
Hemipenthes morio
A dark-bodied bee fly with characteristic half-blackened wings that give it a distinctive silhouette...
Painted Soldier Fly
Sargus cuprarius
A brilliantly metallic coppery-green soldier fly with a slender body and clear wings. It basks on su...
Pallidipes Tsetse Fly
Glossina pallidipes
A large savanna tsetse fly with a distinctive pale brownish coloration, found in woodland habitats o...
Parasitic Bee Fly
Winthemia rufopicta
A medium-sized tachinid fly that parasitizes armyworm caterpillars and other crop pest larvae. It is...
Pear Leaf-curling Midge
Dasineura pyri
A minute gall midge whose larvae cause pear leaves to roll tightly inward along their margins. Multi...
Pedician Crane Fly
Pedicia rivosa
A large, mottled-winged crane fly whose predatory larvae hunt invertebrates in wet mud and stream ma...
Pellucid Hoverfly
Volucella pellucens
A large black hoverfly with a striking translucent white band across its abdomen. Its larvae are inq...
Peruvian Sandfly
Phlebotomus perniciosus
A small sandfly found across the Mediterranean basin that is the primary vector of Leishmania infant...
Petroleum Fly
Helaeomyia petrolei
The only insect whose larvae develop in crude petroleum. Found in natural oil seeps in California, i...
Phantom Crane Fly
Bittacomorpha clavipes
A delicate fly with swollen black and white banded tarsi that acts as a tiny parachute, allowing it ...
Phantom Midge
Chaoborus crystallinus
A nearly transparent midge whose larvae are planktonic predators in lakes. Larvae migrate vertically...
Phasia Tachinid
Phasia hemiptera
A parasitic fly with distinctive dark-tipped wings that parasitizes shieldbug species. Males have br...
Picture-Winged Fly
Delphinia picta
A small fly with beautifully patterned wings that it waves in display like tiny semaphore flags. The...
Pied Hoverfly
Scaeva pyrastri
A large, elegant hoverfly with white crescent-shaped markings on a dark abdomen. It is a strong migr...
Pigeon Louse Fly
Pseudolynchia canariensis
A flattened, tough-bodied blood-sucking fly found on pigeons and doves worldwide. It has a leathery ...
Plain-faced Dronefly
Eristalis arbustorum
A small, dark dronefly with a distinctive bare facial stripe. It is one of the most common hoverflie...
Polynesian Tiger Mosquito
Aedes polynesiensis
A dark mosquito with white markings found across the South Pacific islands. It is an important vecto...
Progressive Bee Fly
Exoprosopa fasciata
A large bee fly with boldly banded wings in dark brown and clear patterns. It is a fast and agile fl...
Pyrenean Snow Fly
Chionea belgica
A rare wingless crane fly found on snow in the mountains of western Europe. It is smaller and darker...
Queensland Fruit Fly
Bactrocera tryoni
Australia's most economically damaging fruit fly with a reddish-brown body. It attacks a wide range ...
Rain Fly
Haematopota crassicornis
A medium-sized cleg with mottled grey wings and iridescent green eyes. It is most active in humid ov...
Red-footed Robber Fly
Dioctria rufipes
A slender, metallic-dark robber fly with conspicuous orange-red legs found in European woodlands. It...
Red-tailed Flesh Fly
Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis
A large gray flesh fly with a distinctive red-tipped abdomen. It deposits live larvae on meat, wound...
Reindeer Nose Bot Fly
Cephenemyia trompe
A large, hairy, bee-like fly that squirts live larvae into the nostrils of reindeer. The larvae deve...
Reindeer Warble Fly
Hypoderma tarandi
A stout, furry fly that parasitizes reindeer and caribou. Females dart at reindeer to lay eggs on th...
Rift Valley Fever Mosquito
Aedes mcintoshi
A medium-sized mosquito found in the floodplains and dambos of East Africa. It is an important prima...
River Midge
Rheotanytarsus exiguus
A small filter-feeding midge that builds silken nets on submerged stones in flowing water. Larvae ar...
Robber Fly
Promachus rufipes
Aggressive aerial predators that catch other insects in flight. Inject prey with neurotoxic saliva t...
Rose Midge
Dasineura rhodophaga
A tiny gall midge whose larvae develop inside rose buds, causing them to blacken and fail to open. A...
Rosette Gall Midge
Dasineura urticae
A tiny midge that causes distinctive rosette galls on the tips of stinging nettles. The growing tip ...
Rothschild's Achias
Achias rothschildi
A remarkable Papua New Guinean fly where males have enormously elongated eye stalks. Males use their...
Saltmarsh Mosquito
Aedes sollicitans
A golden-brown mosquito that breeds in enormous numbers in coastal salt marshes. It is a strong flie...
Sand Fly
Phlebotomus papatasi
A tiny, hairy, yellowish fly with large dark eyes and wings held in a V-shape above the body. Female...
Sand Gnat
Culicoides furens
A very small biting midge commonly known as a no-see-um due to its near-invisible size. Despite bein...
Sand Robber Fly
Philonicus albiceps
A pale sandy-colored robber fly found on coastal dunes and sandy heaths. It hunts other flies and sm...
Satellite Flesh Fly
Sarcophaga africa
A tropical flesh fly that deposits larvae on carcasses and open wounds. It can cause myiasis in live...
Scarlet Robber Fly
Laphria flava
A bumblebee-mimicking robber fly covered in dense golden-yellow hair. It preys on insects visiting f...
Screwworm Fly
Cochliomyia hominivorax
A devastating parasitic fly whose larvae feed on living tissue of warm-blooded animals. It was eradi...
Seaweed Fly
Coelopa frigida
A coastal fly whose larvae develop in rotting seaweed wrack on beaches. It forms massive swarms on s...
Secondary Screwworm Fly
Cochliomyia macellaria
A blow fly that breeds in carrion and occasionally infests wounds in livestock. It is widely used in...
Semaphore Fly
Poecilobothrus nobilitatus
A tiny metallic green fly where males have conspicuous white-tipped wings used in semaphore-like cou...
Sergenti Sandfly
Phlebotomus sergenti
A small sandfly with a broad geographic range across the Old World, serving as the vector of Leishma...
Sheep Ked
Melophagus ovinus
A completely wingless, tick-like blood-sucking fly that lives permanently in sheep wool. Its flatten...
Sheep Nose Bot Fly
Oestrus ovis
A parasitic fly that shoots live larvae into the nostrils of sheep and goats while in flight. Larvae...
Silvius Horse Fly
Silvius alpinus
A small brownish horse fly found in mountain forests and alpine meadows. It is one of the few horse ...
Slender Robber Fly
Leptogaster cylindrica
A delicate, narrow-bodied robber fly with an extremely slender abdomen. It hunts small insects among...
Small-headed Fly
Ogcodes pallidipennis
A round-bodied fly with a tiny head whose larva parasitizes spiders from the inside....
Snail-killing Fly
Tetanocera elata
A wetland fly whose larvae are specialized predators or parasitoids of land snails. It has been inve...
Snipe Fly
Rhagio scolopaceus
A slender, brownish fly with a pointed abdomen and spotted wings that typically perches head-down on...
Snow Crane Fly
Chionea valga
A wingless crane fly adapted to cold environments, found walking on snow surfaces in winter. It rese...
Snow Fly
Chionea araneoides
A wingless crane fly that walks on snow surfaces in winter to find mates....
Snow Pool Mosquito
Aedes communis
A cold-adapted mosquito of boreal forests that breeds in snowmelt pools and flooded stream margins. ...
Soldier Fly
Odontomyia tigrina
A brightly colored soldier fly with aquatic larvae that filter-feed in ponds....
Sonorensis Biting Midge
Culicoides sonorensis
A small biting midge that is the primary vector of bluetongue virus and epizootic hemorrhagic diseas...