Humpbacked Flies

Phoridae

Humpbacked flies are tiny insects that have a unique humped back. They are often found in damp places and can be seen buzzing around flowers and decaying plants.

Lebensraum: Wetlands

Aussehen

The Humpbacked Flies has a distinctive rounded, hump-shaped thorax, which gives them their name. They are tiny, typically dark-bodied, with small heads and short antennae. Their clear wings often appear somewhat iridescent under light.

ReichAnimaliaStammArthropodaKlasseInsectaOrdnungDipteraFamiliePhoridae

Humpbacked Flies

Kategorie

Insekten

Seltenheit

Common

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Snaps

Mach den ersten Snap!

Interessante Fakten

A female can lay hundreds of eggs in her short lifetime!

Many species can run much faster than they fly!

Some Phorid fly larvae can live inside bee brains!

They are often called 'coffin flies' because they can be found deep in buried coffins!

Besondere Fähigkeiten

Humpbacked Flies can lay eggs on ants, and their larvae grow inside, eventually causing the ant's head to fall off.

Humpbacked Flies can burrow several feet into soil to reach hidden food sources, like buried decaying animals.

Humpbacked Flies can dart and change direction incredibly fast, helping them escape predators with surprising agility.

Maße und Details

Größe: 1-5 mm
Lebenserwartung: 7-40 Tage
Anzahl der Beine: 6

Ernährung und Fütterung

They eat decaying plants, fungi, and sometimes become parasites inside other insects or snails.

Altersunterschiede: Larvae are often parasitic or feed on decaying matter, while adults may sip nectar or honeydew.

Hauptnahrung

Decaying plants
Mushrooms
Insect larvae
Snails
Dead animals

Nahrungssuche

Foraging

Ökologische Zusammenhänge

parasitizes

Red Imported Fire Ant

Solenopsis invicta

Larvae develop inside and eventually behead the host ant.

eats

Button Mushroom

Agaricus bisporus

Many Phorid fly larvae feed on decaying fungi.

eaten by

Garden Spider

Araneus diadematus

Common garden spiders are predators of small flying insects.

parasitizes

European Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

Some species lay eggs on honey bees, with larvae developing inside.

Merkmale

Allesfresser

Dieses Merkmal kennzeichnet Organismen, deren Ernährung sowohl pflanzliche als auch tierische Bestandteile umfasst.

Bestäubermagnet

Beschreibt Pflanzen, die für eine Vielzahl von bestäubenden Organismen besonders attraktiv und nützlich sind.

Feuchtgebiet

Dieses Lebensraummerkmal kennzeichnet Arten, die in Feuchtgebieten vorkommen. Dies sind Landflächen, die dauerhaft oder saisonal mit Wasser gesättigt sind, darunter Marschland, Sümpfe und Moore.