Diptera45 species

Family March Flies (Bibionidae)

Bibionidae is a family in the order Diptera. Browse 45 named species recorded in this family, or open an individual profile for its available identification and natural-history information.

Species in Bibionidae (45)

Bibio albipennis

Identification: "This species is readily differentiated from other species of Bibio by the very short r-m crossvein and by the short inner spurs of the front tibiae. It differs from melanopilosus Hardy in being larger, having predominantly pale pile,

Bibio articulatus

Identification: The most common of the species with mostly red legs, black body (but female thorax red on top), and inner spur of fore tibia as long as outer. Bibio xanthopus is larger with a slightly shorter to much shorter inner spur. Females can

Bibio femoratus

Identification: Shining black, dense yellow hair, red femora, front tibial spines nearly equal length, anterior veins dark brown, posterior veins light brown, R-M crossvein about equal to base of Rs. Females have dark wings, black along the leading

Bibio holtii

"Members of this species are the strongest fliers of the Bibionidae that have been observed by the writer, they are usually taken in mountain regions hovering high above the ground, ordinarily well out of reach of the insect net." (Hardy, 1945)

Bibio lanigerus

Identification: differs from B. vestitus by having posterior veins somewhat darkened, hind basitarsus short and enlarged; males generally hold wings out at rest

Bibio longipes

Identification: Males are all black with swollen hind tarsi and are hard to distinguish from Bibio slossonae , the other common fall-flying species. Females are distinguished by their reddish color. Large swarms consisting of males are common in the

Bibio superfluus

Identification: The common female color form is black except the top of the thorax and a little of the sides are shining orange. The inner spur of the fore tibia is very short. The female head extends far beyond the back of the eyes.

Bibio townesi

Identification: Male with yellow legs and shining black thorax. Inner spur of fore tibiae short. R-M slightly longer than Rs.

Bibio vestitus

Leg color can vary from black to almost entirely red. Males normally have dark femora, females red femora. Mostly red-legged females are similar to B. xanthopus , which usually has shorter spurs. See discussion here: Females with only femora red ca

Dilophus arizonaensis

Identification: The female thorax and legs are mostly yellow (one or the other darker in most species). The male has thorax mostly black but the legs are still unusually pale. There are two sets of spines on the front tibia (vs. three in a few spec

Dilophus orbatus

Identification: In California the female is easily distinguished from other members of the genus by the all black color with black wings and two sets of spines on the front legs.

Dilophus stigmaterus

Identification: In the Northeast this species is distinguished by the long rostrum ("nose") and two sets of spines on the fore tibia.

Dilophus strigilatus

Identification: Teeth of tibial and thoracic combs very large and blunt. Two sets of "comb-like teeth" on front tibiae (vs. three sets for D. spinipes , which has a similarly reddish thorax). Stigma at apex of radial vein of wing is dark brown to bl