The Young Collector's Handbook of Ants, Bees, Dragon-flies, Earwigs, Crickets, and Flies / (Hymenoptera, Neuroptera, Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Diptera).

by W. Harcourt Bath

Fig. 121.—Craspedia Coriaria.

Their food generally consists of decayed animal and vegetable matter, and thus they are very useful as scavengers, particularly in hot climates.

The larvæ frequently live in the substance upon which they feed, while others reside in water, and many are parasitic.

For the classification of the Diptera we owe much to that eminent entomologist, Osten-Sacken, whose arrangement has been here generally adopted.

TABULAR VIEW
OF THE
PRINCIPAL FAMILIES OF THE DIPTERA.

[Tribe I.—Nemocera.]
Family	1.	[Cecidomyiidæ or Wheat Midges].
Family	2.	[Mycetophilidæ or Army Worms].
Family	3.	[Simuliidæ or Sand Flies].
Family	4.	[Bibionidæ or Garden Flies].
Family	5.	[Blephariceridæ or Blood Flies].
Family	6.	[Culicidæ or Gnats].
Family	7.	[Chironomidæ or Midges].
Family	8.	[Orphnephilidæ or Bread Flies].
Family	9.	[Psychodidæ or Fungus Midges].
Family	10.	[Tipulidæ or Crane Flies].
Family	11.	[Dixidæ or Wood Gnats].
Family	12.	[Rhyphidæ or Dung Midges].
[Tribe II.—Brachycera.]
Family	13.	[Xylophagidæ or Tree Flies].
Family	14.	[Cœnomyiidæ or Poplar Flies].
Family	15.	[Stratiomyiidæ or Manure Flies].
Family	16.	[Acanthomeridæ or Pomade Flies].
Family	17.	[Tabanidæ or Breeze Flies].
Family	18.	[Leptidæ or Fox Flies].
Family	19.	[Asilidæ or Hawk Flies].
Family	20.	[Midaidæ or Wolf Flies].
Family	21.	[Nemestrinidæ or Flower Flies].
Family	22.	[Bombyliidæ or Bee Flies].
Family	23.	[Therevidæ or Hairy Flies].
Family	24.	[Scenopinidæ or Window Flies].
Family	25.	[Acroceridæ or Sloth Flies].
Family	26.	[Empidæ or Little Hawk Flies].
Family	27.	[Dolichopodidæ or Fairy Flies].
Family	28.	[Lonchopteridæ or Water Flies].
Family	29.	[Syrphidæ or Dart Flies].
Family	30.	[Conopidæ or Wasp Flies].
Family	31.	[Pipunculidæ or Hedge Flies].
Family	32.	[Platypezidæ or Fungus Flies].
Family	33.	[Œstridæ or Bat Flies].
Family	34.	[Muscidæ or Meat Flies].
[Section 1.—Calypteræ.]
Sub-family 1. [Tachininæ or Parasitic Flies]. Sub-family 2. [Descinæ or Rainbow Flies]. Sub-family 3. [Sarcophaginæ or Screw Worms]. Sub-family 4. [Muscinæ or Blow Flies]. Sub-family 5. [Antromyiinæ or Summer Flies].
[Section 2.—Acalypteræ.]
Sub-family 6. [Scatophaginæ or Dung Flies]. Sub-family 7. [Ortalinæ or Wood Flies]. Sub-family 8. [Trypetinæ or Fruit Flies]. Sub-family 9. [Piophilinæ or Cheese Flies]. Sub-family 10. [Diopsinæ or Horn Flies]. Sub-family 11. [Chloropinæ or Corn Flies]. Sub-family 12. [Drosophilinæ or Mould Flies]. Sub-family 13. [Agromyzinæ or Holly Flies].
Family	35.	[Phoridæ or Plant Flies].
[Tribe III. Homaloptera.]
Family	36.	[Hoppoboscidæ or Forest Flies].
Family	37.	[Nycteribidæ or Bat Lice].
Family	38.	[Braulidæ or Bee Lice].
[Tribe IV. Aphaniptera.]
Family	39.	[Pulicidæ or Fleas].

The number of families comprised in the Diptera is so great that space will only permit us to deal very briefly with each.

Fig. 122.—Epidosis Leucopeza (Mag.)

Tribe I.—Nemocera.