Frit Flies (Chloropidae) - 108 Species, Identification & Facts

Camarota curvipennis

A small dark-coloured fly that wraps its wings close to its abdomen giving it the appearance of a small red-headed beetle. Unless identified by a recognised expert, a photo is required showing the identifying characters. Various habitats including po

Chaetochlorops inquilinus

Identification: Very strongly bristled for Chloropidae Inquiline in midge galls, especially on asters.

Chlorops certimus

Identification: "The variation in a long series of this common and widely distributed species is considerable. It may usually be identified by a single, oval, shining black spot on the mesopleura, and by two black spots, one about the ocelli and one

Chlorops crocota

Identification: A yellow species with many dark markings: antennae dark and first flagellomere black; palps with black tips; clypeus narrowly black; four or five black spots on side of thorax, abdomen with dark bands, legs with some dark markings but

Chlorops frontosus

Two pale lateral abdominal stripes. Scutellum widely rounded. Femora yellowish with dark spots/striations. 3rd antennal segment black, base of arista yellowish-brown. Chlorops strigulus. Close examination is required to separate these species. Unless

Chlorops pumilionis

A very tiny (2 - 4 mm) yellow fly with three dark stripes on the thorax, and a dark triangular patch on the head. There are many other very similar flies in the family so microscopic examination is necessary to identify the species. See ID guidance b

Chlorops rufescens

Identification: Ocellar triangle large, reddish with three black spots; front outside of triangle hairy; palps black; first flagellomere mostly red; thorax red with red stripes; pleura unmarked.

Chlorops sulphureus

Identification: A pale yellow species with contrasting black first flagellomere and black stripes on thorax. Frontal triangle marked with black but yellow along sides.

Conioscinella zetterstedti

Identification: Wings reduced or absent. Identification according to Manual of Nearctic Diptera : "Wing absent, or brachypterous with intdeterminate venation (recognized as Chloropidae by large ocellar triangle, carinate propleuron, and reduced brist

Diplotoxa versicolor

Identification: Distinguished from other Diplotoxa and Neodiplotoxa by the combination of characters The middle stripe on the thorax tends to be redder than the outer stripes.

Ectecephala laticornis

Identification: This species lacks a sulcus on the ocellar triangle and has black palpi.

Elachiptera brevipennis

A very small fly with a body length of just 1.5 to 2mm. The wings are shortened, barely reaching the end of the abdomen, or shorter still, only reaching the end of tergite 2. Tergites 1+2 are long, forming half the length of the abdomen. The body is

Elachiptera costata

Identification: Scutellum with tubercles larger than other North American species.

Elachiptera erythropleura

Identification: Similar to E. costata except for the red pleura and paler head.

Elachiptera longiventris

Identification: First abdominal tergite greatly lengthened, forming a "plate" that covers almost all of the dorsum of the abdomen.

Elachiptera pechumani

Identification: Thorax entirely black; scutellum with small tubercles; frontal triangle and ocellar tubercle shining, without pollen; mesonotum shining, without pollen; front:vertex and mesonotum length:width both about 1:1 or less (i.e. not longer t

Gaurax dorsalis

Identification: Halteres yellow, scutellum black, thorax with large black mark with three teeth on posterior margin.

Lasiosina canadensis

Identification: Eyes elongate oval. Not with an unusual proliferation of strong dorsocentral bristles. In winged forms, crossveins more widely separated than in L. approximatonervis , by about twice the length of the hind crossvein. "Legs dark yel

Liohippelates pallipes

Identification: Pale yellow legs. Paler specimens are distinctive with the front half of the frons contrasting yellow and the base of abdomen pale, but the frons can be mostly dark and the abdomen entirely dark.

Lipara lucens

Introduced species from Europe, perhaps not established. Gall maker of the introduced Common Reed ( Phragmites australis ). Enters shoot at the tip and mines down. Causes shortening of the nodes.

Malloewia abdominalis

Identification: all-white abdomen and shiny black thorax are characteristic for this species. ‒ Terry Wheeler

Meromyza communis

Identification: One of the diagnostic characters is the narrow broken stripe on the dorsum of the abdomen. [George Foster, per. com.]

Microcercis trifeminarum

Identification: "This species is distinguished from other Microcercis species by the yellow propleuron, the dorsal third of the katepisternum, and a small portion of the meron. The remainder of the pleuron is mostly grey tomentose with only the propl

Pseudogaurax signatus

Identification: Scutum with reddish stripes, scutellum with black stripe.

Rhopalopterum atriceps

Identification: Distinguished from other Rhopalopterum and Stenoscinis by the shining mesonotum (without pollinose stripe) and yellow legs.

Rhopalopterum carbonarium

Identification: Among Oscinella -like Chloropidae, distinguished by black palpi, legs, head, and antennae; third antenna segment rounded apically, frontal triangle smaller than Oscinella frit , fronto-orbital bristles small and uniform. (Sabrosky, 1

Rhopalopterum painteri

Identification: "Near O. nudiuscula (Loew), but with median black bands on both mid and hind femora, and the ocellar tubercle not pollinose." (Sabrosky, 1940)

Thaumatomyia notata

A tiny (2.5 mm) yellow fly with dark stripes on the thorax. Found in most habitats, most particularly from low bushes, woodland edges and waste ground. Can be common in gardens and may venture indoors when numbers build up later in the summer. There

Tricimba trisulcata

Identification: Legs mostly yellow, hind femur with black band; thorax mostly dark, humeri and propleura partly yellow, scutellum yellow-tipped; scutellar bristles not on tubercles; notopleurals 1+2.