Flies
Order Diptera
The Flies (Order Diptera) includes 6,350 species across 141 families and 1,800 genera in our directory.
About Flies
Diptera includes over 150,000 described species of flies, mosquitoes, and midges. Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal on Earth (CDC). Malaria alone causes ~249 million cases and over 608,000 deaths annually, mostly children under 5 (WHO). Vector-borne diseases account for over 17% of all infectious diseases, causing 700,000+ deaths per year.
Economic Impact
In the U.S., vector-borne disease cases tripled between 2004-2016, with over 640,000 cases reported in that period (CDC). Tickborne diseases doubled from 22,000 to 48,000 annual reports. Globally, mosquito-borne diseases cost billions in healthcare and lost productivity.
Ecological Role
Despite their disease impact, flies are critical decomposers and pollinators. Hoverflies alone pollinate hundreds of crop and wildflower species. Flies are also the primary food source for many birds, bats, and fish. Forensic entomology relies heavily on fly species for crime scene analysis.
Families in Diptera (141)
Species in Diptera (6,350)
Uclesia varicornis
Uclesia varicornis
Ula elegans
Ula elegans
Ulidiotites dakotana
Ulidiotites dakotana
Uramya halisidotae
Uramya halisidotae
Uramya indita
Uramya indita
Uramya pristis
Uramya pristis
Valentibulla californica
Valentibulla californica
Valentibulla munda
Valentibulla munda
Van Dyke Bandit
Cyrtopogon vandykei
Vanderwulpia atrophopodoides
Vanderwulpia atrophopodoides
Vanderwulpia sequens
Vanderwulpia sequens
Variable Laphria
Laphria felis
Variable Pixie
Beameromyia vulgaris
Variegated Flesh Fly
Sarcophaga variegata
Victoria's Bromeliad Fly
Copestylum victoria
Victoriana attenuata
Victoriana attenuata
Victoriana parvicornis
Victoriana parvicornis
Villa agrippina
Villa agrippina
Villa arenicola
Villa arenicola
Villa chromolepida
Villa chromolepida
Villa harveyi
Villa harveyi
Villa hypomelas
Villa hypomelas
Villa miscella
Villa miscella
Villa nigra
Villa nigra
Villa nigricauda
Villa nigricauda
Villa nigropecta
Villa nigropecta
Villa vanduzeei
Villa vanduzeei
Vinegar Fly
Drosophila repleta
Violet Bromeliad Fly
Copestylum barei
Virginia Flower Fly
Milesia virginiensis
Virginia Longhorn Robber
Eudioctria tibialis
Vitisiella brevicauda
Vitisiella brevicauda
Vockeroth's Pond Fly
Sericomyia vockerothi
Volucella arctica
Volucella arctica
Voria aurifrons
Voria aurifrons
Walnut Husk Maggot
Rhagoletis suavis
Wasp Wood-soldierfly
Xylomya maculata
Western Black Laphria
Laphria franciscana
Western Longhorn Robber
Echthodopa pubera
Western Phantom Crane Fly
Bittacomorpha occidentalis
Western Treehole Mosquito
Ochlerotatus sierrensis
White Hammertail
Efferia candida
White Tiger Fly
Ceraturgus mitchelli
White-brushed Bandit
Cyrtopogon inversus
White-faced Psyllid Killer
Trichopsomyia banksi
White-footed Lesser House Fly
Fannia albitarsis
White-haired Hammertail
Efferia leucocoma
White-sided Pixie
Beameromyia disfascia
White-spotted Pond Fly
Sericomyia lata
White-waisted Bandit
Cyrtopogon evidens
Whitneyomyia beatifica
Whitneyomyia beatifica
Wilcox Chiselmouth
Cerotainiops wilcoxi
Wilcox Twigsitter
Holopogon wilcoxi
Wilcoxia forbesi
Wilcoxia forbesi
Willamette Sandpirate
Lasiopogon willametti
Willistonina bilineata
Willistonina bilineata
Willow Beaked-Gall Midge
Rabdophaga rigidae
Willow Rose Gall Midge
Rabdophaga rosaria
Willow Rosette Gall Midge
Rabdophaga salicisbrassicoides
Window Gnat
Sylvicola fenestralis
Winnertzia solidaginis
Winnertzia solidaginis
Winthemia abdominalis
Winthemia abdominalis
Winthemia polita
Winthemia polita
Winthemia quadripustulata
Winthemia quadripustulata
Winthemia reinhardi
Winthemia reinhardi
Wood's Pond Fly
Sericomyia woodi
Woodland Hammertail
Efferia nemoralis
Woodland Mosquito
Ochlerotatus stimulans
Woodrat Bot Fly
Cuterebra americana
Wyeomyia vanduzeei
Wyeomyia vanduzeei
Wyoming Bristleback
Lestomyia strigipes
Xanthaciura insecta
Xanthaciura insecta
Xanthoepalpus bicolor
Xanthoepalpus bicolor
Xanthomelanodes arcuatus
Xanthomelanodes arcuatus
Xanthomelanodes atripennis
Xanthomelanodes atripennis
Xanthomelanodes californicus
Xanthomelanodes californicus
Xanthomelanodes flavipes
Xanthomelanodes flavipes
Xanthomyia nora
Xanthomyia nora
Xanthomyia platyptera
Xanthomyia platyptera
Xeniconeura costalis
Xeniconeura costalis
Xenochaetina flavipennis
Xenochaetina flavipennis
Xenolimosina sicula
Xenolimosina sicula
Xenopterella beameri
Xenopterella beameri
Xenox delila
Xenox delila
Xenox habrosus
Xenox habrosus
Xylomya aterrima
Xylomya aterrima
Xylomya simillima
Xylomya simillima
Xylomya tenthredinoides
Xylomya tenthredinoides
Xylomya terminalis
Xylomya terminalis
Xylophagus cinctus
Xylophagus cinctus
Xylophagus gracilis
Xylophagus gracilis
Xylophagus lugens
Xylophagus lugens
Xylota angustiventris
Xylota angustiventris
Xylota bicolor
Xylota bicolor
Xylota flavitibia
Xylota flavitibia
Xylota quadrimaculata
Xylota quadrimaculata
Yellow Gnat
Prosimulium fulvum
Yellow Hammertail
Efferia plena
Yellow Hanging Thief
Diogmites contortus
Yellow Laphria
Laphria unicolor