Flies

Cyrtopogon falto

Cyrtopogon falto is the latest robber fly species (Asilidae) to be documented on Martha’s Vineyard.

Deer Bot Fly

An odd-looking fly with an even odder life history.

Sky Pirates!

Pyrgota undata, a boldly marked, largely nocturnal fly, is a parasite of May beetles, usually attacking its host in mid-air.

Colletes productus

A highly specialized bee, associated with the wetland shrub Lyonia ligustrina, is documented in iNaturalist.

Stiletto Flies

Perhaps because of their elongated shape, members of the fly family Therevidae have acquired the common name “stiletto flies.”

“Mystery Fly” on the Vineyard’s South Shore

A rarely reported, carrion-loving fly turns up on the southern shoreline of Martha’s Vineyard.

Don’t Take Flies for Granted

Flies — the order Diptera — tend to be either ignored or reviled by humans. But this diverse group of insects, with about 17,000 known species in North America, is of enormous ecological importance.