Cedar Creek
Natural History Area

Insects of Cedar Creek

Order DIPTERA

Family CHLOROPIDAE

(Grass Flies)

(Table of Species)

The 'Stem-miner Flies' (273 NA spp) are the most abundantly collected Acalypterates in CCNHA old fields. The Chloropinae have the costa extending only to the third vein and many of these species are quite colorful (black and yellow predominating). The Oscellinae have the costa extending to the fourth vein and are small dark flies. The larvae of many species are stem-miners or gall-formers in grasses and other plants, but some occur in decaying plant and animal matter, and a few are predaceous upon aphids or Lepidoptera eggs. More than 25 species have been collected.

CHLOROPINAE
Meromyza (americana) is pale green with enlarged hind femora. Thaumatomyia (glabra, grata) are black and yellow with an oval hairy depression on their hind tibiae. These flies are predaceous on aphids on Solidago. Diplotoxa (versicolor, nigripes) is maroon-and-yellow toned. Chlorops (certimus, crocatus, obscuricornis++) are yellow with black markings). Epichlorops sp has a black punctate thorax and appears to be associated with Bromus. Ectecephala (laticornis, laevifrons), Parectecephala sp, and Tricimba sp have also been collected.

OSCINELLINAE
Hippelates (plebejus GRP) and Liohippelates (bishoppi, pusio) have a large spur on their hind tibiae and are commonly called eye gnats because of this noxious habit in the adults. Eribolus (nanus, longulus) are flat-backed, and species of Elachiptera(costata, nigriceps) have a strap-like arista. Siphonella oscinina is a shiny black fly with long geniculate proboscis. Eugaurax floridens and Opetiophora straminea are dull yellow flies.
However, the most abundant Chloropids collected in old field sweeps belong to the following genera: Olcella (cinerea, parva)--pubescent with geniculate proboscis, Incertella (minor, incerta)--dull pubescent, Malloweia (negleta, setulosa) and Rhopalopterum (atriceps, umbrosa)--shiny black with yellow legs,Oscinella (frit, nigripalpis, abdominalis, coxendix, dissidens)--shiny black with dark legs.

jhaar@lter.umn.edu Last updated May, 2000