DESCRIPTION: Up to 11mm in length. Known as the ' Yellow Legged Water Snipe Fly' this smart insect is best recognised by the the strongly patterened wings, the two narrow stripes along the thorax and the primarily orange-yellow legs. The abdomen of the male is orange with black markings whilst that of the female is generally darker. BEHAVIOUR: The females die after oviposition creating heaps of dead flies and their eggs. The predatory, greenish-brown larvae hatch and at first feed on the dead parents after which they fall into the water and feed on carrion, detritus and small invertebrates. They usually kill their prey with a poisonous bite. DISTRIBUTION: Frequent, although local in England and Wales, less common further North. HABITAT: In verdant areas around clean waterways that have fine stony bottom. PERIOD: May to August. |
