Ulidiidae
Many species of flies use their wings for communication. This Ulidiid sports both pigmented spots- visible in the wing silhouetted by the flower petal- and rainbow reflections, visible in the wing against the dark background. MacLaughlin UC Reserve, California, USA
Delphinia picta
The strikingly-colored Delphinia picta is one of the most common picture-winged flies in North America. Austin, Texas, USA.
A picture-winged fly. Austin, Texas, USA.
Euxesta
Portrait of a ulidiid picture-winged fly. Austin, Texas, USA.
Rhagoletis
Rhagoletis walnut flies, mating. Arizona, USA
In a laboratory cage, two male Rhagoletis walnut flies joust over access to females. University of Arizona. filename: Rhagoletis8
Austrotephritis pelia
This fruit fly species is common on asters across much of Australia. Yandoit, Victoria, Australia
Neotephritis finalis
Sunflower seed maggot flies mating on an Engelmann daisy, one of this common species' many host plants. Austin, Texas, USA.
Sunflower seed maggot fly on a Wyethia leaf. California, USA.
Parastenopa limata
This colorful fruit fly is one of many species whose wings mimic jumping spiders. The patterns are thought to dissuade real jumpting spiders, which normally avoid each other, from getting too close. Austin, Texas, USA.
The wings of this fruit fly mimic jumping spiders. Austin, Texas, USA.
Xanthaciura
Xanthaciura is a small fruit fly specializing on mistflower. Austin, Texas, USA.
New spring goldenrod grows alongside an old stem gall in an Illinois meadow. The gall is made by a fruit fly, Eurosta solidaginis, which induces the plant to produce a protective structure around the developing larva. Urbana, Illinois, USA
Goldenrod stem galls of the fruit fly, Eurosta solidaginis. Urbana, Illinois, USA
Boreothrinax maculipennis
Portrait of a Pyrgotid fly. Many true flies, like butterflies, have species-specific patterns on their wings. Austin, Texas, USA.
Portrait of a Pyrgotid fly. Austin, Texas, USA.
Prochyliza xanthostoma
A waltzing fly. Urbana, Illinois, USA
A female waltzing fly considers a mate. Urbana, Illinois, USA.
Rivellia
Signal fly, Platystomatidae. Gatlinburg, Tennessee, USA.
Platystomatidae
A signal fly feeds from a recent bird dropping on an understory leaf. Cayó District, Belize.
Richardia
A richardiid fly feeds from a dead caterpillar in an Ecuadorian cloud forest. Mindo, Pichincha, Ecuador.
Gamboa, Panama.
Automola rufa
Richardiid flies are most commonly found in the tropics, but Automola rufa extends into the southwestern United States. Here, one signals for mates on an old cactus flower. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Texas, USA.
