Dance Flies
What are they?
A very large and diverse family that is difficult to summarize. Most species are predatory and many resemble robber flies, though they tend to be smaller. A number of species can be very common in wooded areas and clusters often gather in courtship flights - behavior that gives them their common name of dance flies. The most intriguing behavior of some species is the act of 'gift-giving'; males will catch a prey item and use it as a gift to present to the female prior to mating. Pairs can sometimes be found together, the male hanging on the underside of a branch and holding onto the female while she eats her present. Life cycles are poorly known but the maggot-like larvae appear to be mostly predatory on other insect species.
Identification
A difficult group to summarise and many species cannot safely be identified in the field. The more obvious species are those in the genus Empis which are dull, grayish insects with relatively long and thickened legs and a long proboscis.
Empis sp.
A woodland species that can be very common within the shrub layer of wooded areas, especially along the edges of trails and clearings.
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| branch, female eating gift |