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Stilt-legged Fly

Micropezidae sp.

Photo by John B.
Published on Project Noah
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15.4562, 119.922

Field Notes

Description:

I always find Stilt-legged Flies difficult to identify. I am sure that part of the reason for this is that I don't see them very often. So, I have not become sufficiently familiar with them and every time I see one, its like the first one and I am starting from the beginning again. Sorry, that's not very good. Let me explain it differently. If I see a moth with swept back wings like a jet plane, I immediately think "Hawk Moth" or if I see a small spider with two very big eyes in front, bracketed by two smaller ones, I think "Jumping Spider". So, with these two examples, my basic knowledge gives me a start and then I can look at colours and markings etc. and try to identify to Genus level and hopefully eventually species. I know that the same applies to "Stilt-legs". They are obviously flies because they have two wings and they are Micropezids because of the long, slim bodies and the stilt-legs, but there it stops. Wikipedia says that there are about 500 species, which is a lot, but not too many, The problem that always defeats me, is that they almost all look the same with only subtle differences and I think it takes a trained eye to sort them out. So, for now, it has to be Micropezidae sp. :-)

Habitat:

Spotted in our backyard in a shady area under some Mahogany trees.

Notes:

Another spotting of a similar Stilt-legged Fly - https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/308367586

Species ID Suggestions

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Photographed
PublishedOctober 14, 2022

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