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Project Noah Nature School
This is a fly, possibly a midge. Other than that, I haven't a clue. I was attracted to it because of its spider-like walk around the leaf, and its refusal to be intimidated by my camera. It has one pair of wings (notice the halteres). I've included a posterior shot so that you can see what appears to be two cerci. Unfortunately, I could not get enough magnification to show the antennae which I understand to be crucial to identification.
If the entomologist at BugGuide has correctly identified this fly, then this is the only Gnophomyia recorded west of Texas. BugGuide has listed only two species for this genus, G. tristissima and G. luctuosa. There are no records in BugGuide for G. luctuosa.
Spotted on May 26, 2012
Submitted on May 31, 2012
