Crane Fly :: Limoniinae

Adult flies of this species are about 6-9 mm in size. They are brownish-yellow in color and with a distinct brown line in the thoracic pleura. Their wings are brownish-yellow and unmarked except for the slightly darker stigma. The adult flies rest with the wing outspread. The larval stages are found in decaying wood. One generation occurs from May through early July in our area.

Species of the genus Chionea are the only nearly wingless crane flies in North America. This genus is widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere where the habitats are snow covered during the winter months. Sixteen North American species of Chionea have been described base on the comprehensive study conducted by Dr. George W. Byers (1983: The crane fly Genus Chionea in North America. The University of Kansas Science Bulletin 52(6) 59-195).

In their natural habitat, species of Chionea may be found together with other winter wingless insects such as snow scorpionflies Boreus specis (Mecoptera: Boreidae), and stoneflies (Plecoptera: Capniinae), but can be easily distinguished from these two groups by their distinct halteres and shorter antennae (see below images for all three groups for comparison).

See Byers 1983 paper for further detailed information on morphology, natural history, distributions, identification keys, literatures of this genus in North America.

The adult “snow crane flies” occur in the winter months. They are wingless in both sexes and can be seen most frequently after a fresh fall of snow crawling sluggishly on the surface at temperatures as low as –10 degree C. The small (5-8 mm), spider-like adults are yellowish-brown in color, and their antennae have 12 segments. The natural history of this species is still largely a mystery, and some observers have suggested an association with nests of small mammals such as mice and chipmunks. Detailed studies on this genus can be found in Dr. George W. Byers’ paper of 1983.

The adult of this species is 8-12 mm in size and occur mainly in woodlands during late summer and fall. The adults are orange-yellow in color and have brown crossbands on the abdomen. The wings are transparent with brown dots along the cross veins. The adults are often found walking on leaves, with the body elevated and parallel to the upper leaf surface and the wings folded flat over the back. They are common in woods in late fall when few other insects are similarly active. As a result, they may be important food for fall migratory songbirds. Their larvae inhabit relatively dry soil in woodlands.

Dactylolabis (Dactylolabis) montana (Osten Sacken) [^Top]

This species is one of the most common and widely distributed of the local species of the genus. It varies very greatly in size but only a single species seems to be involved. They are about 6-10 mm in size and are frequently found on the vertical faces of shaded cliffs and rock exposures in ravines and gorges. Their wings have heavy spotted brownish gray cloud pattern along costal margin and fork of outer cells. The larvae live on algal growth. The related species Dactylolabis cubitalis are dark brown in color and have unmarked, strong brownish-yellow wings.


*Dactylolabis montana*	*Dactylolabis montana* by Tony DiTerlizzi	*Dactylolabis montana*

*Dactylolabis cubitalis*		*Dactylolabis cubitalis*

Genus Dicranoptycha Osten Sacken

The genus Dicranoptycha includes 85 species worldwide (Oosterbroek 2005) with 23 recognized species in North America (Oosterbroek 2005; Young 1987). There are nine potential and documented species in this genus for Pennsylvania (see PA checklists) and five species were collected during the survey. Dicranoptycha is a genus of medium-sized crane flies of about 7-13 mm in size. One main character that separates it from other crane flies is their wings with R2 vein lying far distad, beyond level of outer end of cell 1^st M2 (image below). In Pennsylvania adults of this genus usually emerge in spring, but a few species emerge in summer or fall. All species appear to have one generation a year. Adults usually stand upright, with body elevated parallel to the upper surfaces of leaves and the wings folded flat over the back. Adults are usually found standing on low vegetation in humid to relatively dry open woodlands. The larvae have been reared from forest soil directly under leaf litter. Key for the North American species is in the review of Young (1987).

Dicranoptycha elsa wing by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland

Dicranoptycha elsa Alexander [^Top]

Dicranoptycha elsa is basic grayish brown in color, it can be easily recognized by lack of the dark brown seam along the Cu vein. This species has been collected from New York westward to eastern Kansas, and southward along the Appalachian Mountains to northeastern Georgia. The recent collection indicates its range in Mississippi (Amite County, 12 April 2007 Gayle and Jeanell Strickland).


Dicranoptycha elsa male head by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland	Dicranoptycha elsa male by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland	Dicranoptycha elsa male


Dicranoptycha elsa male hypopygium dorsal view by Chen Young	Dicranoptycha elsa male genitalia ventral view by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland	Dicranoptycha elsa male genitalia with external skeleton removed ventral view by Chen Young

Dicranoptycha elsa female ovipositor lateral view by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland	Dicranoptycha elsa female by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland	Dicranoptycha elsa female

Dicranoptycha germana Osten Sacken [^Top]

Dicranoptycha germana have strong reddish-brown wings and are common in dry oak-maple mixed woodlands. This species shows striking variation in body color, from dark reddish brown to light brownish-yellow. The adult flies have a more hairy appearance than any other species of Dicranoptycha. They have been recorded from Quebec westward to northern Minnesota and southward to South Carolina. This is so far as known the only species of this genus inhabits the Canadian life-zone. The adults have a long flight period from mid-June through October, with the peak in July.


*Dicranoptycha germana*	*Dicranoptycha germana*

Dicranoptycha nigripes Osten Sacken [^Top]

Dicranoptycha nigripes is basic reddish yellow in color. They can be easily recognized by their abdominal coloration, which has transverse blackened bands near mid-length from sterna of segments three to seven. The male has branching aedegal processes. This species has a southern distribution with records from Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and recently Louisiana (Barney Farm, Highway 103, 1mile NW of Washington, St. Landry Parish, 15 June 2007 Gayle and Jeanell Strickland). D. nigripes has not yet been collected in Pennsylvania but is a potential species likely to be found among the southwestern mountain ranges.


Dicranoptycha nigripes male by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland	Dicranoptycha nigripes male wing by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland


Dicranoptycha nigripes male genitalia dorsal view by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland	Dicranoptycha nigripes male genitalia ventral posterior view by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland	Dicranoptycha nigripes male genitalia ventral view by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland


Dicranoptycha nigripes male hypopygium dorsal view by Chen Young	Dicranoptycha nigripes male by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland	Dicranoptycha nigripes male genitalia with external skeleton removed lateral view by Chen Young

Other related species of Dicranoptycha: [^Top]


*Dicranoptycha pallida*	*Dicranoptycha megaphallus*	*Dicranoptycha winnemana*

*Dicranoptycha byersi*	*Dicranoptycha septemtrionis*	*Dicranoptycha sobrina*

Elephantomyia (Elephantomyia) westwoodi Osten Sacken [^Top]

The adults of this genus are distinct crane flies with an exceedingly elongated rostrum that is nearly as long as the entire body. There is only one species of this genus in our area. The adult flies are about 8-11 mm in body length, and about 16-19 mm including the rostrum. Adults have yellow abdomen and each segment with distinct dark subterminal ring. Their wings are brownish-yellow with conspicuous stigma. Adult flies are found in open woodlands usually hanging from leaves on low branches of trees. The larval stages are found in decaying wood.


*Elephantomyia westwoodi* male	*Elephantomyia westwoodi* Photo by Mike Lanzone	*Elephantomyia westwoodi* female


*Elephantomyia westwoodi* Photo by Lewis Scharpf	*Elephantomyia westwoodi* Photo by Tom Murray

Epiphragma (Epiphragma) fasciapenne (Say) [^Top]

This is one of the local striking and beautiful species of medium-sized (9-12 mm) crane flies. It is common in the latter half of May and early June, and generally found in moist woodlands. Adults usually found on forest litter or low shrubs, less than two feet above ground. Adult males also form small dancing swarms at dusk in shaded places. Larvae of this genus are usually found in decaying wood.


*Epiphragma fasciapenne* by Tony DiTerlizzi	Epiphragma fasciapenne (female)


*Epiphragma fasciappenne* by Bruce Marlin	Epiphragma fasciapenne (male)	*Epiphragma fasciappenne* by Thomas of Baltimore

This is the only other species of Epiphragma found in the same habitats as the previous species. The two species can be distinguished by their wing patterns. Epiphragma fasciapenne has wings with pale brown cross bands that are narrowly margined with darker brown, and with a brown ring at the tip of each femur. Epiphragma solatrix has wings with an irregular pattern of brown and tawny color, and with a brown ring before tip of each femur. It has two generations per year and individual flies of the summer/fall generation have a smaller body size than those of the spring generation.


*Epiphragma solatrix* (female)	*Epiphragma solatrix* wing by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland	Epiphragma solatrix (male)


*Epiphragma solatrix* Photo by Stephen Cresswell		*Epiphragma solatrix* Photo by Steve Scott


*Epiphragma solatrix* male genitalia dorsal view by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland	*Epiphragma solatrix* male genitalia lateral view by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland

Epiphragma solatrix male photo by Steve Scott

Erioptera (Erioptera) chlorophylla Osten Sacken [^Top]

Adults of this species are small-sized 4-5 mm pale green crane flies with large black eyes. They are often found on low vegetation near water edges. The larval stages live in moist earth. About 8 species of this pale green crane flies belong to this group in our area. They can be separated only based on the variations of their genitalia.


*Erioptera chlorophylla*	Erioptera chlorophylla by Steve Marshall	*Erioptera chlorophylla*


*Erioptera furcifer*	*Erioptera* species by Sasha Jade	*Erioptera furcifer*

Erioptera (Erioptera) septemtrionis Osten Sacken [^Top]

These are small-sized (4-5 mm) brown crane flies. Adults are brownish yellow in color with dark brown halteres. The pleura of thorax has a dark brown longitudinal stripe. This species has a long flight period probably with two generations starting in April and lasting through the month of September.


*Erioptera septemtrionia*	*Erioptera septemtrionia* mating pair by Steve Nanz	*Erioptera septemtrionia*

Other related species of Erioptera (Erioptera): [^Top]


*Erioptera megophthalma*	*Erioptera straminea*	*Erioptera venosa*

Erioptera (Hoplolabis) armata Osten Sacken [^Top]

Adults of this species are small (5-6 mm) gray crane flies. The abdominal segments are dark brown, each segment ringed posterior with pale color. Their wings have a heavy dark brown pattern, arranged along costal areas, with smaller spots at the ends of longitudinal veins and on cross veins. Adults are found along all watercourses, either from shaded banks or from the base and roots of large trees by streams. This species also forms swarms.

Erioptera armata

Erioptera (Ilisia) venusta Osten Sacken [^Top]

These are small (5-6 mm) sized brown crane flies. Their wings have two distinct broad brown cross bands. The small band does not reach the margin of the costal vein, while the larger one reaches the border. The related species Erioptera graphica have their wings with the dark pattern broken into small spots and narrow brown seams along cords.


*Erioptera venusta*	*Erioptera venusta* by Stephen Cresswell	*Erioptera venusta*


*Erioptera venusta* by Stephen Cresswell	*Erioptera graphica*

Erioptera (Mesocyphona) caliptera Say [^Top]

This is one of the small crane flies (3-4 mm in length). Body is brownish yellow with two conspicuously brown stripes on the pleura. Three species occur in the northeast. Erioptera parva is the smallest species with male of 2.5 mm in size, and their wings have no white spots but with small darker spots on the veins and at margins of veins. Erioptera needhami generally is similar to Erioptera caliptera in appearance, except they have fewer white spots on their wings and their femora with a single brown subterminal ring instead of two as in E. caliptera. They are abundant where soil is wet or muddy during most of the year, in bottomland forests, swamp woods, and grassy margins of streams. The larval stages of these species are spent in damp earth.


*Erioptera caloptera*	*Erioptera caloptera* by Tom Murray	*Erioptera caloptera*


*Erioptera caloptera* by Jerry Armstrong	*Erioptera caloptera* by Lynette Schimming

Erioptera (Mesocyphona) needhami Alexander [^Top]

Erioptera needhami generally is similar to Erioptera caliptera in appearance, except they are slightly smaller and have fewer white spots on their wings and their femora with only a single brown subterminal ring instead of two as in E. caliptera. They are abundant where soil is wet or muddy during most of the year, in bottomland forests, swamp woods, and grassy margins of streams. The larval stages of these species are spent in damp earth. This species has been reported from Missouri to Nova Scotia and southward to Florida.


*Erioptera needhami* male by Chen Young	*Erioptera needhami* Photo by Jerry Armstrong	*Erioptera needhami* female by Chen Young

Erioptera (Mesocyphona) parva Osten Sacken [^Top]

This species has the smallest body size about 2.5 mm in its group. The main difference among the three species in this group is Erioptera parva has small darker spots on the cord and veins on their wings. Their legs are yellow and the femora have a narrow brown subterminal ring. Previously reported from Kansas to Michigan, Connecticut, south ward to Florida and was recently recorded from Texas (21 April 2007, Graham Montgomery).


Erioptera *parva* Photo by Graham Montgomery	*Erioptera parva*	Erioptera *parva* Photo by John Maxwell

Erioptera (Symplecta) cana (Walker) [^Top]

Adults of this small (6-7 mm) gray crane fly are the first species to appear in the spring, when most vegetation has not yet started growing. They are common and abundant in the spring in nearly all wooded habitats and open grasslands. The fall generation is less conspicuous. The larval stages are found in saturated earth along water edges. There is only one species in this genus found in North America. This species is wide spread throughout North America, as far south as the mountains of Central America.


*Erioptera cana*	*Erioptera cana* by Bruce Marlin	*Erioptera cana*

Steve Taylor (Illinois Natural History Survey) took the following two photos in the city of Urbana at Champaign County, Illinois. These images illustrate the Postcopulatory Mate Guarding Behavior that is common among crane flies in the subfamily Limoniinae. This behavior is observed general among species whose females oviposit in wet mud or near flowing and percolating water where coupling pairs are often observed in numbers. After mating, the female starts oviposition while the male stays astride more or less parallel with the female. In this manner, the male keeps frequent, close contact with the female, and will push or drive away any rival. By defending his mate from intruding rivals, the guarding male may have the last-male advantage and also prolong the female ovipositing period. This mate guarding behavior has also been observed in Limonia communis, and described in Limonia simulans, Antocha saxicola and Dactylolabis montana (Adler and Adler 1991).


*Erioptera cana* by Steve Taylor showing Mate Guarding	*Erioptera cana* by Steve Taylor showing Mate Guarding

Eugnophomyia luctuosa Osten Sacken [^Top]

This species has not been collected in PA and is listed here due to its extremely resemblance to the following species. They are about 6-8 mm in size and black in color. The characters used to separate these two species apart are the halteres of this species is black throughout, and the apical cells of their wings have hairs (see the attached wing image). These two species used to classified under the same genus Gnophomyia, they are now in separate genera. This species has a more southern distribution know from Indiana, Illinois to Florida and Mississippi.


Eugnophomyia luctuosa wing showing hairs on apical cells by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland	Eugnophomyia luctuosa Male by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland	Eugnophomyia luctuosa male genitalia dorsal view by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland

Eugnophomyia luctuosa mating pair photo by Sasha Azevedo

Gnophomyia tristissima Osten Sacken [^Top]

The adults of this species are black with strongly darkened wings. They are about 6-8 mm in size and have distinct yellow color knobs of halteres. They occur in bottomland woods and wet thickets on herbage among fallen, decaying trees. The larvae are found beneath the bark of decaying deciduous trees.


*Gnophomyia tristissima*	*Gnophomyia tristissima* by Richard Leung	*Gnophomyia tristissima*

Gnophomyia tristissima by Lew Scharpf

Gonomyia (Gonomyia) subcinerea Osten Sacken [^Top]

This is the most abundant species of its genus; common and generally distributed in bottomland woods, ravines and mixed hardwood forests. They are small crane flies of 5-6 mm in size. Body of this species is brown to grayish-brown, variegated with fulphur-yellow to pale yellow. Abdominal segments are yellow, with large dark brown central areas. The larval stages live in wet soil.


*Gonomyia subcinerea*	*Gonomyia subcinerea*	*Gonomyia blanda*	*Gonomyia currani*

Helius (Helius) flavipes (Macquart) [^Top]

The adults of this species are common in open marshy areas, and are often found resting on low vegetation. Adults are about 7-10 mm in size with dusky color on wing tips and dark brown stigma on wings. Their legs are pale yellow with tips of femora and tibiae narrowly blackened. The abdominal segments are dark brown, ringed posterior with yellow. The larvae stages are found in organic rich, saturated soil in marshy areas.


*Helius flavipes* male	Helius flavipes by Tleilaxu	*Helius flavipes* female

Hexatoma (Eriocera) brachycera (Osten Sacken) [^Top]

Species of the genus Hexatoma have reduction in number of antennal segments to less than 12 segments, and also males of several species have a tremendous elongation in their antennae. The adult flies of this genus are among the most rapid-flying crane flies and often form large swarms near streams and rivers. Their larvae live in water or saturated soil and are carnivorous. The larvae migrate to sandy bank of streams when they are ready to pupate.

Hexatoma brachycera are about 15 (male) -28 (female) mm in body size and both females and males have antennae of about 5 mm in length. Antennae have basal segments obscure yellow, flagellum black. Femora of legs are yellow to brownish yellow; the tips of femora are narrowly blackened.


*Hexatoma brachycera*	*Hexatoma brachycera* by Tom Murray

Hexatoma (Eriocera) brevioricornis Alexander [^Top]

Hexatoma brevioricornis are about 7 -10 mm in size and can be identified by their snowy white tarsi in all legs. The six-segmented antennae are about 3.5 mm and shorter than one-half the length of the body in both sexes. The adults are usually found standing on leaves of taller shrubs, with wings folded over the back and an elevated stance.


*Hexatoma brevioricornis* male by Chen Young	*Hexatoma brevioricornis* male photo by Michelle Lynn St. Sauveur	*Hexatoma brevioricornis* female by Chen Young

Hexatoma (Eriocera) spinosa (Osten Sacken) [^Top]

Hexatoma spinosa are about 16 (male) – 28 (female) mm in body size and the males are characterized by having antennae of about 28 mm in size and are approximately three times the length of the body. The males often form large mating swarm near the margins of streams.


*Hexatoma spinosa*	*Hexatoma spinosa* by Robin McLeod	*Hexatoma spinosa*

Other related species of Hexatoma: [^Top]


*Hexatoma cinerea*

Limnophila (Dicranophragma) angustula Alexander [^Top]

This species and Limnophila (Dicranophragma) fuscovaria are the only two species in this subgenus that found in our area. The adult flies have wings with an abundant dotted and spotted brown pattern, including about five major areas along the costal field. The adult flies are about 5-7 mm in size and are usually found in rank herbage in swampy or boggy woods. The adults rest with their wings folded over the back and with the body tilted at a strong angle. The larvae are spent in organic-rich, saturated mud. Males of L. fuscovaria have wings broader than that of L. angustula.


Limnophila angustula male	Limnophila angustula Photo by Mike Lanzone	Limnophila angustula female


Limnophila fuscovaria male	Limnophila fuscovaria female

Limnophila (Eutonia) alleni Johnson, and Limnophila (Eutonia) marchandi Alexander [^Top]

Two very large (23-35 mm) species of Limnophila fall in the present subgenus Eutonia. Both are by far the largest and most conspicuous of all local members of the genus. The wings of alleni are brown yellow in color and are heavily patterned with dark brown dots along the costal margins. The wings of marchandi are transparent in color and are patterned with dark brown dots along costal margins. Adult flies of both species are found in low boggy woodlands and in shaded ravines in May and June in our area. The larvae can be found in organic mud along streams.


*Limnophila alleni*	*Limnophila alleni*


*Limnophila marchandi*	*imnophila marchandi* by Tony DiTerlizzi

Limnophila (Lasiomastix) macrocera (Say) [^Top]

The main characters of this subgenus Lasiomastix is the presence of macrotrichia in the outer cells of the wings. The adult flies of this species have hairs in the outer cells of their wings. Their body color is polished black, and their wings have a heavy brown cross-banded pattern. The males have very elongated antennae, almost as long as their body. The antennae are covered with long erect setae. Antennae of female are much shorter than in male. The adults are about 8-11 mm in size and males have antennae about 10 mm. The adult flies are found in grassy edges of streams in bottomland woods. The larvae spent their live in mud or rich organic earth. This species can be readily told from its related species Limnophila tenuicornis by its patterned wings, which is absent in L. tenuicornis.


*Limnophila macrocera*	*Limnophila macrocera*


*Limnophila macrocera* Photo by Giff Beaton	*Limnophila macrocera* female Photo by Tom Murray	*Limnophila macrocer* Photo by Giff Beaton

Limnophila (Lasiomastix) tenuicornis Osten Sacken [^Top]

The general color of this species is grayish brown and their wings are unmarked. They are about 7-9 mm in size and their antennae are about one third of their body length. A spring species in our area taken in a variety of moist habitats in June.


*Limnophila tenuicornis*	*Limnophila tenuicornis*

Limnophila (Limnophila) albipes Leonard [^Top]

This is a smaller sized (5-6 mm) fly in this genus. The body color of this species is light brown without pruinose. Antennae of male are elongate approximately one half as long as the body, of female are shorter. Femora are yellow, the tips are weakly darkened. The main distinct character of this species is the tarsi of their hind legs are snowy-white. A summer species collected in July in our area.


Limnophila albipes	Limnophila albipes

Limnophila (Prionolabis) rufibasis Osten Sacken [^Top]

General coloration of this species is brownish black. Their legs are obscure yellow with the femoral tips broadly brownish black. Their wings are brownish yellow with a darker brown pattern along cord and Cu1. The adult flies are found commonly in grassy margins of sluggish streams in floodplain woods and in shaded vegetation near small streams or in open woods. The immature stages are unknown. This species is commonly found in the same habitat with two other related species L. munda and L. walleyi. It differs from both L. munda (7-9 mm) and L. walleyi (7-8 mm) at first sight by its larger size (9-14 mm). Details to separate these three species rely on the variations of male genitalia.


Limnophila rufibasis	*Limnophila rufibasis* by Tom Murray	Limnophila rufibasis


*Limnophila munda*	Limnophila walleyi

Limonia (Dicranomyia) humidicola (Osten Sacken) [^Top]

A common stream species generally distributed in wet, well-shaded spots along streams and in wet, wooded ravines. This species usually was found in shaded habitats where Dolichopeza was also common. Adult flies of this species reach 7-8 mm in length. General coloration of the body is dark brown; their wings have pale brown clouds in basal cells and along cord. The femora of their legs are brown with broadly yellow tips.


*Limonia humidicola*	*Limonia humidicola* by Stephen Luk	*Limonia humidicola*	*Limonia humidicola* by Steve Marshall

Limonia (Dicranomyia) fusca Meigen [^Top]

This medium-sized species is about 6-6.5 mm in size and brownish in color. It can be separated from all the other species of Limonia by having numerous macrotrichia in all cells beyond cord in their wings. This species is mainly a summer species and is commonly collected near streams and in open valleys from June to September. Previously recorded from Newfoundland to Michigan, south to Georgia; also found in Europe.


Limonia fusca	Limonia fusca

Limonia (Dicranomyia) liberta (Osten Sacken) [^Top]

This grayish, medium-sized species is probably the most frequently collected species in the genus Limonia. The adults of this species are found common in vernal seepage in bottomland woods and in the mesic thicket along the edges of streams. It also forms swarms before sunset about 5 feet about ground on top of small bushes. Adult flies reach 6-7 mm in size and their wings with cord and outer end of cell 1^st M2 narrowly seamed with brown. Previously recorded from Newfound west to Manitoba, south to Oklahoma and Florida.


*Limonia liberta*	*Limonia (Dicranomyia)* species by Stephen Cresswell	*Limonia liberta*

Other related species of Limonia (Dicranomyia): [^Top]


Limonia immodesta	*Limonia (Dicranomyia)* species by Richard Leung	Limonia divisa


Limonia stulta	Limonia spinifera

Limonia (Discobola) annulata (Linnaeus) [^Top]

A widely distributed species previously known from British Columbia to Newfoundland, southward to Tennessee, and also found in Eurasia, south to New Guinea. Body size 8-11 mm, general coloration polished yellow or greenish yellow. Wings yellow with a supernumerary cross vein in cell 1st A, connecting the two Anal veins (see image below). Series of eye-like brown markings situated along costal margin. Femora with a subterminal black ring, and apex clear yellow. Adults commonly found on moss-covered bases of trees in woodlands. Larvae found beneath bark of decaying wood.


*Limonia annulata* female	Limonia annulata wing showing supernumerary crossveinphoto by Ling-chu Lin	*Limonia annulata* male

The small (10-12 mm) adults of this species are characterized by elongate mouthparts used for taking nectar from flowers. They display an up-and-down bobbing motion on the surface of rocks or leaves. This bobbing is especially noticeable immediately after the fly has landed or when it has been disturbed. The larvae spend their lives in gelatinous tubes constructed on rocks covered with algal growth, where the surface is constantly wet along streams or vertical cliffs. The larvae feed mainly on algae.

The adult of this species is about 10-16 mm in size. Limonia is one of the genera that the adults of many species exhibit a tremendous range in body size within species. Species in the subgenus Metalimnobia are resemble to those of the subgenus Limonia morphologically except on their wings the R1+2 and R2 are subequal in length. The wings of this species are patterned with brown spots and dots confined to the vicinity of veins. Leg color is chiefly yellow, the femora banded with two brown rings. The adults are usually found on the forest floor or on the shady side of tree trunks with wings folded and legs outspread. Larvae live in decaying wood and in fungi.

Flies of this species share the same habitats with the previous species. The most visible character used to separate it from Limonia cinctipes is their femora banded with three brown rings. Details of thoracic color pattern can also be used to separate these two species. There are two flight periods for both species with one in May/June and one in September/October.

Flies of the subgenus Rhipidia have bipectinate, unipectinate or subpectinate antennae. This species is about 7-10 mm in size. Their wings have a series of about five major grayish brown spots along costal margin, pleural with single narrow stripe. Male antennae are distinct bipectinate and female antennae unipectinate. Two generations were recorded in our area in June/July and September.

This species is largely southern in distribution but occasionally collected in Pennsylvania. Its range reaches Texas, Florida and the Neotropical region. The adult of this species has subpectinate antennae in both sexes and is about 5 -6 mm in size. Their antennae are dark in color with segments 12 and 13 abruptly light yellow, and they have two narrow blackish longitudinal stripes on the pleural sides of the thorax. The larval stages occur in algae covered surfaces in wet rock outcropping or rocks along streambed.

This species has a wide present range from Newfoundland northwestward to Alaska, south to California, Tennessee; also in the Palearctic Region. As flies of subgenus Rhipidia the adult male of this species has distinct bipectinate antennae (see image below) and is about 5 -6 mm in size. Female has non-pectinate antennae. Their wings have abundant pale brown or gray dotting in all cells and these dots are variable in intensity and amount. Body coloration is grayish; praescutum has a broad brownish black median line. The larval stages occur in algae covered surfaces in wet rock outcropping, rocks along streambed, or beneath the bark of dead trees. This species is the most common species in this subgenus with two generations in our area, one in May/June and another in September/October. This species was known as Limonia (Rhipidia) lecontei (Alexander, 1940); that name has now been judged synonymous with Limonia duplicata (Doane, 1900).

This species is resemble to L. bryanti morphologically, except the dark series of brown areas on wing start beyond origin of Rs only, including large rounded clouds at origin and fork of Rs, stigma, and outer radial cells. Thoracic pleura is unstriped. Antennae of male are unipectinate and of female are subpectinate. A early summer species in our area recorded in June and July. Previously recorded from Scotia west to Alberta, south to Oregon, Tennessee, and Florida (Byers,2002).

This species is rare in our region, collected only once in May. Its present known range is from Maryland west to Illinois, south to Florida and also in neotropical region. The adult flies have subpectinate antennae in both sexes. Wings have small brownish black spots at base, at supernumerary crossvein in cell Sc, origin of Rs, fork of Sc and over R2; all cells with numerous paler dots. Legs are chiefly yellow, femoral tips weakly darkened.

Molophilus cramptoni Alexander and Molophilus huron Alexander [^Top]

This genus is well represented in our area by a group of small (3-6mm) hairy flies. Unlike the other small hairy flies of the genus Ormosia, the adult flies of the genus Molophilus have their outer cells of wings glabrous without macrotrichia. The adult flies are yellowish-brown to black in color, and could be collected from lush vegetation in shaded bottom-land woods or be found in small dancing swarms. Larvae of this group occur in moist earth near water.

There are about 12 species in our local fauna and some of the common species could be separated based solely on the characters of antennae and male genitalia.

This is the sole species of this genus in eastern United States. The character that separate it from the relate genus Cladura is that the male genitalia has two dististyles. The adult flies of this species are about 4-5 mm in size and very pale yellow or whitish yellow in color, and without brown spots on pleura. They often were found in numerous individuals among herbaceous vegetation and low shrubs. They are on the wing in later summer and autumn. Locally they could be very abundant in dry woodlands. The early stages occur in relatively dry soil in mesophytic woodlands. The image on the bottom right shows clearly the wing venation for this genus.

Ormosia ingloria Alexander and Ormosia monticola (Osten Sacken) [^Top]

Ormosia is mainly a group of Holarctic crane flies. The characters that separate it (3-5.5mm) from other small-sized hairy crane flies, especially Molophilus, are that wings of Ormosia have distinct macrotrichia in all the outer cells, and the Sc2 vein is far removed from the tip of Sc1, and Sc1 long, subequal to the length of Rs.

There are about 40 species of this genus found in northeast North America. The chief characters used for separation of many closely related species of Ormosia are also found in the structure of male genitalia. Adult flies of this group also form small dancing swarms in shaded places. The immature stage lives in saturated soil near water.

Species of crane fly in the genus Pedicia are well distinguished by the hairy eyes (see image below), with ommatrichia in between the facets; and Sc long past the fork of Rs (Oosterbroek, 2006 listed as family Pediciidae including other genera with in Tribe Pediciini: Dicranota, Ornithodes, Nasiternella, Ula). The immature are often frequent wet to saturated, organic soil along streams and in seepage areas.

This is one of the most conspicuous and beautiful crane flies in Pennsylvania. It is common and widely distributed throughout the northeastern United States and Canada. The adults are on the wing in June and again in September. Crane flies of this group can be distinguished from all other adult crane flies by the dark brown triangle on the wings. A dark costal margin, a broad seam along vien Cu, and a similar dark seam along the unusually oblique cord form this triangle. The females reach the large size of 35 mm, while the males are slightly smaller. Abdomen is whitish gray in color, the tergites with triangular or diamond-shaped darker gray patches that are bordered by rusty yellow. The adults can be found in moist woods, boggy areas, cold springs, saturated springy hillsides, along streams and shaded tributaries where the aquatic carnivorous larvae develop. Larvae of this species have creeping-welts on abdominal segments 4-7 and live in the edge of cold streams.

Three other species, Pedicia contermina, P. margarita, and P. procteriana are also found in our area. They are greatly similar in morphology and coloration but can be separated by the markings on wings. Also P. contermina and P. procteriana are vernal species, the adults are found only in May and early June.

This species can be separated from other related species by having dark seam along vein Cu not extending distad beyond the approximate level of the cord thus not reach the wing margin. It is a spring species occurring in May and June in our area.

This species is the smallest species among its related species, the adult flies are about 20-24 mm in body length. The dark seam along vein Cu extended distad byond the level of the cord but only to the outer section of vein Cu1 and not attaining the wing margin.

This species is closely related to Pedicia contermina, differing in the wings which has one or two spots of coloration along the dark seam along the cord. This species is on the wing in May and June in our area.

The various local species of Tricyphona are about intermediate in size between the larger sized local species of the subgenus Pedicia and the smaller sized in the genus Dicranota. The adults of this group occur in swampy and boggy areas, along rocky mountain streams, and on the wet faces of vertical cliffs. The larvae are found in wet earth. Adults of Pedicia auripennis are about 15-21 mm in body length. The thorax are yellowish gray with three conspicuous brown stripes. Legs are obscure yellow, femoral tips are narrowly brown. Wings have 3-4 brown spots and a broad brown seams along cord. This species has been observed resting on mossy rock overhang in the bed of a ravine in Upshur County, West Virginia by Stephen Cresswell (June 2007)

Adults of Pedicia autumnalis are about 14-20 mm in body size. Their general body color is pale yellow and their praescutum with three distinct reddish yellow stripes. Antennae have basal segments yellow and terminal ones black. Wings are yellowish subhyaline. Wings in female are small (under 10 mm) and tend to be atrophied. Abdominal tergites are brown, sternites yellow, and terminal segments dark brown. There is one autumn generation occurs from late July through October in our area.

Tipulidae: Limoniinae Quick Links:

Tipulidae: Limoniinae

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