''Empis ciliata'', the black dance fly, is a species of dance fly, in the

fly Flies are insects of the Order (biology), order Diptera, the name being derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwing ...

family

Empididae __NOTOC__ Empididae is a family of flies with over 3,000 described species occurring worldwide in all the biogeographic realms but the majority are found in the Holarctic. They are mainly predatory flies like most of their relatives in the Empido ...

. It is included in the subgenus ''Euempis''.

Distribution

This species can be found in western and southern Europe (

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Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

The Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

) and in the eastern

Palearctic realm The Palearctic or Palaearctic is the largest of the eight biogeographic realms of the Earth. It stretches across all of Eurasia north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa. The realm consists of several bioregions: the Euro-Sibe ...

(

Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...

Habitat

These flies mainly inhabit hedge rows, meadows and wet meadows, especially along the rivers.

Description

''Empis ciliata'' can reach a length of in males, of in females. The wing length of males reaches , while in females reach .J.K. Lindse
Ecology of Commanster
/ref> These flies have shining black body, head, antennae and legs. Halteres are black and metapleural bristles are partly whitish. The base of the abdomen has whitish hairs.Milan Chvál
Ket to Euempis species in The Empidoidea (Diptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark: Genus Empis. III
/ref> The legs are very hairy, with brush-like thighs especially in the females. The wings are long, robust, very dark brown or black. They have a long black sucking snout pointed downwards, used to suck their food. This species is rather similar to ''

Empis tessellata ''Empis tessellata'' is a species of dance fly, in the fly family Empididae. It is included in the subgenus ''Euempis''. Distribution The species is distributed in most of Europe from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, in the east to the Middle E ...

'', but the latter is bigger and has brown-yellowish wings.Nature Guide
/ref>

Biology

Adults fly from May to June. They feed on other diptera and on sweet nectar from various flowers ('' Bellis perennis'', '' Taraxacum campylodes'', '' Alliaria petiolata'', '' Aegopodium podagraria'', ''

Anthriscus sylvestris ''Anthriscus sylvestris'', known as cow parsley, wild chervil, wild beaked parsley, Queen Anne's lace or keck, is a herbaceous biennial or short-lived perennial plant in the family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), genus ''Anthriscus''. It is also some ...

'', ''

Cardamine pratensis ''Cardamine pratensis'', the cuckoo flower, lady's smock, mayflower, or milkmaids, is a flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae. It is a perennial herb native throughout most of Europe and Western Asia. The specific name ''pratensis'' is Latin ...

'', ''

Polygonum bistorta ''Bistorta officinalis'' ( synonym ''Persicaria bistorta''), known as bistort, common bistort, European bistort or meadow bistort, is a species of flowering plant in the dock family Polygonaceae native to Europe and northern and western Asia. Ot ...

'', ''

Veronica chamaedrys ''Veronica chamaedrys'', the germander speedwell, bird's-eye speedwell, or cat's eyes, is a herbaceous perennial species of flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae. Description ''Veronica chamaedrys'' can grow to tall, but is fre ...

'', '' Menyanthes trifoliata'', ''

Crataegus ''Crataegus'' (), commonly called hawthorn, quickthorn, thornapple, Voss, E. G. 1985. ''Michigan Flora: A guide to the identification and occurrence of the native and naturalized seed-plants of the state. Part II: Dicots (Saururaceae–Cornacea ...

''). These commonly called dance flies usually can be seen in summertime during the day in large swarm. Before mating, the male catches a prey. The mating takes place while the female drains the prey. The larvae live in the soil and feed on insects.

Gallery

File: Empis.ciliata3.-.lindsey.jpg, ''Empis ciliata''. Couple File:Empis.ciliata2.-.lindsey.jpg, Dorsal view showing the very hairy legs File:Empis ciliata.ogv, Video clip of ''Empis ciliata'' in copula

Bibliography

* Joachim Haupt, Hiroko Haupt: Fliegen und Mücken. Beobachtung, Lebensweise. 1. Auflage. Naturbuch-Verlag, Jena und Stuttgart 1995, . * Collin, J.E. (1961). British Flies VI: Empididae Part 2: Hybotinae, Empidinae (except Hilara) 4. Cambridge: Cambridge UP. tr. 329. * Chandler, Peter J. (1998). Checklists of Insects of the British Isles (New Series) Part 1: Diptera. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. New Series 12 (1) (London: Royal Entomological Society of London). tr. 234.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2164345 Empis Asilomorph flies of Europe Insects described in 1787 Articles containing video clips