long-tailed dance fly (Rhamphomyia longicauda) female at Lake Meyer Park IA 653A8931
These female long-tailed dance flies are really neat to see. Notice the long black hairs on her legs that give them a feathery look. Find them on low vegetation in wet woods during the day, and when flushed from cover, they quickly crawl back beneath some shielding leaves. These females do not hunt for food. Instead, they only eat prey (in the form of smaller insects) that are brought to them by dating males. Interestingly, males prefer to mate with the fattest and hairiest females - no foolin'.
long-tailed dance fly (Rhamphomyia longicauda) female at Lake Meyer Park IA 653A8931
These female long-tailed dance flies are really neat to see. Notice the long black hairs on her legs that give them a feathery look. Find them on low vegetation in wet woods during the day, and when flushed from cover, they quickly crawl back beneath some shielding leaves. These females do not hunt for food. Instead, they only eat prey (in the form of smaller insects) that are brought to them by dating males. Interestingly, males prefer to mate with the fattest and hairiest females - no foolin'.