Posted by Dance Flies Insect In common with other members of the empididae males of the dance fly empis tessellata present their mate with a gift, usually of a dead insect.
However, in the case of empis tessellata, the gift has to be made before mating if the male is to succeed. The species is found in the northern hemisphere. Body length 0.35-0.4 inches (9-11 mm).
- Common name: dance flies
- Family: empididae
- Suborder: brachycera
- Order: diptera
- Class/subphylum: insecta/hexapoda
- Number of species: over 3,000 (725 u.s.)
- Size: from about 0.1 in (3 mm) to 0.4 in (10 mm)
Key features: bristly flies resembling robber flies but without the bulging eyes; rigid proboscis, which can look overlong for the size of the fly; all have a nick out of each eye
Habits: usually found around fairly dense vegetation,including bushes and trees,or near water
Breeding: complicated courtships involving the male donating a gift to the female
Diet: mainly feed on adults of other diptera at some time in their lives, but are also avid nectar feeders; larvae mainly predaceous, but a few are vegetable feeders
Habitat: forests and other areas with plenty of vegetation ; tend to seek moister habitats
Distribution: worldwide, but at greatest numbers in temperate zones