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Commonly found in moist environments, they are known to be a pest of mushroom farms and are commonly found in household plant pots. This is one of the least studied of the large Diptera families, probably due to the small size of these insects and the difficulty in specific identification. They have slender, darkly colored bodies and dark wings. However, the females of several species are wingless. Their long legs and antennae with eight to 16 segments are typical of many gnats.
My yard
BugGuide suggests that they are Sciaridae females
Spotted on Jun 17, 2013
Submitted on Jul 23, 2013
1 Comment
These guys have found my Cypripedium acaule and Cyp. montanum orchids where they congregate on the pouch of each species. Drawn to the sweet orchid fragrance, I hope they pollinate the flowers. Typically, I have seen them on Scoliopus bigelovii that has a nasty fish odor.