#frit fly

[drhoz]

#2147 - Fam. Chloropidae - Frit Flies

Probably a Gaurax sp. A more distinctively coloured example of these tiny flies. See the post earlier for more information on the family.

Uranquinty, NSW

[usgsbiml]

One of the most abundant animals in the world that you have never heard of (this may sound like one of those click catcher phrases on the Internet, but it is not).  In this case we are talking about  (and pictured here) Apallates particeps, collected also in this case by George Foster, one of the few Chloropid specialists in the world.  If you were to stand in a lawn (perhaps not a pesticide laden one) you would be surrounded by, and perhaps standing upon, literally thousands of this species and its kin.  Yet, you would not know that because they are less than 2mm in size and they are not interested in you in any way.  It appears ("appears" is the right word since we really don't have a lot of details) that they might feed on plant blood that oozes from wounds caused by other insects and perhaps may be one of the few things that actually responds positively to the cutting of grass.  On the other side of the coin, this also means that when you mow your grass you also are literally the agent of death for 10's of thousands of creatures.  Now that we told you... can you not un hear (Gramatical side note:  "not un" is what is called a "near" double negative) the despairing cries as you approach with your mower?    Another reason to delawnify and inspect your new found moral dilemma of how it is that you can save Monarchs but then turn to kill untold thousands of Apallates. Shame.  

[drhoz]

#2143 - Apotropina sp. - Frit Fy

A fair-sized genus of Chloropids found worldwide. The genus is not well studied - most species are known from single specimens. One paper says there's at least 80 valid species worldwide, and 22 in Australia.

Many Frit Fly larvae feed on grasses, edges, or bulrushes, and some are cereal pests, but others are found in rotting wood, dead plants, fungi, or preying on spider eggs, mantis ootheca, the nests of locusts, or root grubs. Two genera, Liohippelates in the Americas and Siphunculina in parts of Asia, are particularly annoying for the way the adults swarm eyes and nostrils, not least because they're known vehicles for some very serious infections. In Australia one genus, Batrachomyia, is an endoparasite of frogs.

Tumbarumba, NSW

[drhoz]

#3785 - Gaurax sp.

Small Chloropid flies that seem to have a wider diet than many in the family - larvae have been found near dead mice, living inside bark beetle galleries, raised on hamburger or chicken liver in the lab, and found in rotting wood and fungi, among other locations.

Oamaru, Aotearoa New Zealand.