Midge

Description:

A green, red, white and brown Midge about 8 mm long. Midges typically have very long front legs which they hold up over the thorax and extended forward when at rest. The first 3 pictures are of the female with moniliform antennae. She also has what looks like a small Oribatid Mite attached to her abdomen, probably as a phoretic passenger. Since Midge larvae are aquatic, it is common to see red water mites on the adults. It is much less common to find Oribatid mites on any insects. This reference shows a similar Midge species with several Oribatid mites: (https://www.flickr.com/photos/69610519@N...). The last three pictures are of the male (with plumose antennae). Family Chironomidae.

Habitat:

These came to an ultraviolet light in the garden. The valley of San Cristobal de Las Casas still has remnants of Mountain Wetlands. Midges can sometimes be so numerous that they form dense clouds of flies and great drifts of bodies on the ground the next day. The adults live only long enough to mate, sometimes just a single night.