Posts

Mayfly

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6401  Small and long flying bug with three tails. They have resided on our balcony. There’s at least 50 of them. I had swatted them all away (some dead) and they came back in greater numbers a few days later. We live close to a river and do not have any lights on our balcony. CALGARY, Alberta. Canada

 

Number 6401. This is a mayfly (order Ephemeroptera). These spend most of their lives as nymphs/naiads at the bottoms of streams and lakes where they constitute an important part of the feed web there. The adults you see seldom live more than a day; just long enough to mate and lay eggs. They do not feed and are completely harmless.

Pomace fly

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6383  This fly is inside my house in large numbers. They are very small (same size as a fruit fly), and have been present for months. The enlarged photograph is with a 40X total magnification. Please help me identify them so I know how to get rid of them. 42 Prince Charles Dr, Georgetown, ON L7G 3V1 Canada

 

Number 6383. This is a vinegar/pomace fly (Diptera: Drosophilidae), the same family as the so-called ‘fruit fly’ of household nuisance fame. It looks like Drosophila repleta, commonly known as the dark-eyed fruit fly. Click Here for more detailed information.

Hellgrammite

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6229 This bug is 10cm long and I saw it on our deck. Thanks for your attention. From Douglas Ontario

Number 6229 – This is a hellgrammite, the larval stage of a dobsonfly (Corydalus spp.; Megaloptera: Corydalidae). Hellgrammites are aquatic and are predators on other small aquatic life forms. When they complete their growth, they leave the water in order to find a safe place to pupate and transform to the adult dobsonfly. Click here for details on their life history.