# Dance Flies (*Empididae*) Dance flies are fun little insects that love to dance in the air! They have long legs and can be seen flitting around flowers and plants, making them look like they are having a party. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Dance Flies](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Empis_livida_%28aka%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: André Karwath aka Aka, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Empis_livida_%28aka%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Dance Flies typically have slender bodies, long legs, and large, prominent eyes that often meet at the top of their heads. Their coloring ranges from drab browns and grays to metallic greens or black, with some species displaying distinct markings or fuzzy leg ornaments, making them visually unique among common flies. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Diptera - **Family:** Empididae ## Interesting facts - Males sometimes offer empty silk 'gifts' to trick females into mating! - Some dance flies wear fluffy leg decorations just to impress their partners! - These tiny acrobats can stop in mid-air and hover perfectly still! - They are ancient aerial predators, hunting other insects for millions of years! ## Special abilities - **Aerial Hunter:** Dance Flies can catch other flying insects in mid-air because of their exceptional agility and sharp eyesight. - **Nuptial Gift Giver:** Males can offer silk-wrapped 'gifts' (often prey) to females, which helps them secure a mate. - **Swarm Dancer:** Dance Flies perform complex aerial dances in swarms that help them find mates and confuse predators. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 4-30 mm - **Size:** 2-15 mm - **Lifespan:** 15-45 days - **Flight Speed:** 10 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Dance Flies are insectivores, mostly preying on other small insects they catch in flight. - **Primary Foods:** midges, mosquitoes, aphids, small flies, nectar - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** non-biting midge (*Chironomus plumosus*) — Many dance fly species actively prey on adult midges. - **Hunts:** [yellow fever mosquito](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-fever-mosquito) (*Aedes aegypti*) — Dance flies help control mosquito populations by catching them. - **Eaten by:** [garden spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*) — Dance flies can become entangled in spider webs and eaten. - **Eaten by:** [great tit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-tit) (*Parus major*) — Small birds, like tits, often feed on various flying insects. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Dance flies are harmless, so you can watch them without worry! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Dance Flies? Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Dance Flies's wingspan? 4-30 mm ### How big is Dance Flies? 2-15 mm ### How long does Dance Flies live? 15-45 days ### How fast can Dance Flies fly? 10 km/h ### What does Dance Flies eat? Dance Flies are insectivores, mostly preying on other small insects they catch in flight. ### Where is Dance Flies usually found? Grasslands ### How does Dance Flies hunt? Pursuit ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Dance Flies: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dance-flies)