Insect or Invertebrates Identification

[Klipspringer]

Anthomyia sp, a flower fly

[Richprins]

A small fly/mosquito thing - 1cm

Nelspruit

[Lisbeth]

Looks like a mosquito

[Klipspringer]

Is it on a flower?

[ExFmem]

Maybe a midge

[Richprins]

Is it on a flower?

They seem to sit there, never saw them "drinking"...

[Lisbeth]

Lovely flowers

[Klipspringer]

As ExFmem is saying.

It's a species of the tribe Chironomini in the non-biting midge family (Chironomidae).

https://www.ru.ac.za/media/rhodesuniver ... midae.html

Many reference sources in the past said that the Chironomidae do not feed as adults, but an increasing body of evidence contradicts this view. Adults of many species do, in fact, feed. The natural foods reported include fresh fly droppings, nectar, pollen, honeydew, and various sugar-rich materials.
Adults are not hematophagous, so the impact of these flies excludes human blood feeding and disease transmission.

Most chironomids have aquatic larvae, living in freshwater, only few species have larvae occurring in marine water or in moist ground and decaying matter (these are considered semi-aquatic).
Chironomid larvae are insects of commercial interest as an important food for many fishes and cultured crustaceans, and are very popular in aquarium fish trade. Larvae are an excellent source of protein, lipid, vitamins and minerals with high energy content, and highly digestible.

[Richprins]

Klippies!

There were lots on the flowers, so it must have been for a reason!

[TonyR]

Hi. This fly ( I think) found dead on verandah in Ramsgate.

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