Picture-Winged Fly – Tritoxa incurva

Order Diptera / Family Ulidiidae — picture-winged flies
Live adult picture-winged flies photographed in the wild at Ogle County, Illinois, USA. Size = 10mm.

There are 133 species of picture-wing flies in 41 genera in North America. The family was known as Otitidae for many years, but Ulidiidae has recently been shown to have priority. Many sources are still using the old family name.

Larvae of most species feed on decaying plant material and rotting fruit. They are not agricultural pests like the family Tephritidae (fruit flies)for which they are often mistaken, because they do not feed on fresh, healthy fruit. These flies are found from May till late summer, at forest edges and weedy fields.

Reference

Bugguide.net, Tritoxa incurva

Tree Encyclopedia / North American Insects & Spiders is dedicated to providing family-friendly educational
resources for our friends around the world through large images and macro photographs of flora and fauna.

Online since 2002