Bibionidae - US/Canada (in development)
Authors: Even Dankowicz
Last updated: April 2021
Help identify observations on iNaturalist:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?taxon_id=56097&place_id=6712,1
Bibio vestitus, MA, © Even Dankowicz / CC-BY
Plecia nearctica, FL, © Katja Schultz, iNaturalist / CC-BY
br
R4 oblique
R5
R4+5 fused
bm
bm ends before br
br
bm ends after br
bm
bm ends after br
Dilophus sp., DC, © Katja Schultz, iNaturalist / CC-BY
Fore tibia with
2-3 rows of spines
Anterior thorax with
2 rows of spines
Bibio articulatus, DC, © Katja Schultz, iNaturalist / CC-BY
Fore tibia with
2 spurs
Anterior thorax
unadorned
Bibionidae of United States, Canada
| ||||||
Cell bm exceeds cell br? | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes |
Fore tibiae | simple | simple | simple | spurred | spurred | rows of spines |
R4, R5 emerge from which cell? | Cell br | Cell br | Cell br | Cell br | Cell bm | Cell br |
Fore tibia, femur with ventral tubercles? | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Vein R4 vs R5 | oblique | Elongate, subparallel | oblique | fused | fused | fused |
antennae | filiform | compact | compact | compact | compact | compact |
Anterior Dorsal Thorax | Lacking spines | Lacking spines | Lacking spines | Lacking spines | Lacking spines | Two rows of spines |
Hesperinus, which closely resembles Plecia, is today usually placed in its own family, Hesperinidae.
A key to genera is below. Some species have distinctive coloring, allowing you to skip ahead.
Hesperinus brevifrons
Penthetria
Different species are only distinguished microscopically.
P. heteroptera, VT, © Jason Michael Crockwell, iNaturalist / CC-BY-NC-ND
| |
P. heteroptera | East of the rocky mountains south of coniferous forest from SK to CO, east to NS and FL - replaces yakima in mountains of central Colorado |
P. yakima | WY to British Columbia; in Canada east to Saskatchewan and Hudson Bay in Northern Ontario in and near areas of coniferous forest |
P. arizonensis | Southeast Arizona |
Plecia
| | lateral thorax, wing bases |
P. americana | Southeastern | Red |
P. nearctica | Eastern | Black |
P. nearctica, TX, © Chuck Sexton, iNaturalist / CC-BY-NC
P. americana, VA, © Jason Michael Crockwell, iNaturalist / CC-BY-NC-ND
Bibio
Because of the difficulty of identification of the numerous Bibio spp., the have split them up in a variety of ways.
The following slides contain diagnostics by sex and then morphology. Most of the descriptions are taken from Hardy 1945, and are sometimes difficult to interpret.
If possible, take these shortcuts first:
Three species are known to fly from Sept to Dec:
Only three species have the r-m crossvein 1/3 the basal Rs vein (Fitzgerald 1998):
| | Male body pile | Female thorax | Legs |
B. longipes | widespread | Orange in F, black in M | ||
B. slossonae | widespread | Orange in F, dark red to black in M | ||
B. autumnalis | UT, CO | Yellow-red | Orange, black-striped, smaller than above | Tibiae orange, femora mostly darker |
widespread | **head large** | black | Femora orange, tibiae darker |
| | Male body pile | Legs | Inner protibial spur |
East of rockies | Mostly pale | black | short | |
B. tristis | AZ to KS | Yellow to black | red | short |
B. necotus | CA to WA | black | black | very long |
r-m crossvein
Bibio vestitus, MA, © Even Dankowicz / CC-BY
basal Rs vein
Hardy 1945 has a key to males and females of Bibio; this can sometimes be helpful: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2994849#page/456/mode/2up
Many Bibio names have been synonymized since Hardy 1945 as listed here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nyMZupKjPm_VQD4C0u16Q966Nn8HOG_o/view
Bibio (males)
Male eyes take up 100% of the head
Ambiguous or mixed leg colors key out both ways:
Males | Scutum | Femora | Tibiae |
Group 4 | Black | Black | Black |
Group 5 | Black | Orange | Black |
Group 6 | Black | Orange | Orange |
Group 7 | Black | Black | orange |
Males unknown: | |
B. lobatus | CA |
Bibio (males) 4
Scutum | Femora | Tibiae |
Black | Black | Black |
| | Wings | Inner protibial spur | Leg notes |
widespread | Whitish hyaline to dusky fumose | ¼ outer | Legs occasionally “reddish-black” | |
Southeastern | Dusky fumose to smoky black | 1/3 outer | *** hind basitarsus slender | |
B. criorhinus | AZ near MX | | - | Hind tibiae orange |
Widespread | Hyaline to slightly yellowed | ¼ outer | Fall-flying | |
B. mickeli | Western | Hyaline | Long | Tibiae black, sometimes red-tinged |
B. necotus | West coast | Hyaline | ¾ outer | Tibiae slightly red-tinged |
B. neojacobi | BC | Yellow-brown fumose | long | Tibial bases yellowed |
B. vestitus | Northern | Hyaline | long | Mid and hind tibiae orange |
B. pingreensis | UT, CO | Whitish to grayish hyaline | 1/3 outer | Middle, hind tibiae yellow/brown |
B. rufithorax | Southeastern | Brwn antr, yellw pstr fumose | 1/3 outer | ***HIND BASITARSUS SWOLLEN |
B. sericatus | BC | Slightly yellow fumose | ¼ outer | |
B. similis | UT, CO | hyaline | ¼ outer | |
Widespread | Yellow fumose to yell hyalin | ¼ outer | Legs dark redbrown to black Fall-flying | |
B. tenellus | AK | Dark yellow fumose | ¼ outer | Tibiae extensively yellow |
B. velcidus | ON | Slightly yellow fumose | ¾ outer | Legs somewhat brown |
Bibio (males) 5
Scutum | Femora | Tibiae |
Black | Orange | Black |
| | Wings | Inner protibial spur | Leg notes |
Eastern | Hyaline; posterior veins hyaline | Long | Middle and hind legs entirely orange | |
Eastern | Hyaline | ¼ outer | Hind legs entirely orange | |
Widespread | Hyaline to pale yellow fumose | Long | | |
Widespread | Yellowish fumose | ½ to ¾ outer | Tibiae brown to black | |
Western | Dusky or yellow fumose | ¼ outer | | |
B. tenellus | AK | Dark yellow fumose | ¼ outer | Femora dark; mid, hind tibiae yellow |
Bibio (males) 6
Scutum | Femora | Tibiae |
Black | Orange | Orange |
| | Wings | Inner foretibial spur | Hind basitarsi | Notes |
B. abbreviatus | Eastern, GA to SD | Hyaline; posterior veins hyaline | long | Short and thick | Front tibiae black; yellow to black thoracic pile |
widespread - CO, NC, BC | Yellow fumose | Long | Swollen, cylindrical | Tibiae orange to black | |
East of UT | Hyaline to yellow fumose | Long | Slender, very narrow | | |
Northern | Hyaline | Long | slender, not as narrow | Mid, hind femora usually black, at least basally dark | |
Widespread | Hyaline to yellow fumose | ½ to ¾ outer; sometines Long? | Slender, not as narrow | | |
B. striatipes (=conus | MB | R-m crossvein ½ basal Rs | ½ outer | Slender | Front and middle femora black |
B. inaequalis | Northern | Brownish-yellow fumose | ½ outer | swollen | Yellow thoracic pile |
B. bryanti | Northern | Hyaline | ½ outer | swollen | Black thoracic pile |
B. carri | AB | Hyaline, slightly yellowed | ½ outer | slender | |
B. alexanderi | Widespread | Dusky hyaline to yellow fumose | ½ outer | Slender | |
B. brunnipes (=neojacobi) | Northern | Slightly yellowish fumose | ¼ outer | ? | Thorax with much pile |
Northeast | Hyaline, slight yellowish; r-m slightly longer than Rs | ¼ outer | swollen | Thorax mostly glabrous | |
Eastern | Hyaline to yellow fumose | ¼ outer | Slender | Thorax with long pile; Fore and middle tibia orange to black | |
B. atripilosus | UT, CO | Hyaline | ¼ outer | Slender | Femora sub-apically black |
B. cognatus | CA | | ¼ outer | | |
B. fluginatus | BC | Yellow fumose | ¼ outer | swollen | |
B. tristis | AZ to KS | Dusky hyaline | ¼ outer | Slender | Legs red to brown |
Bibio (males) 7
Scutum | Femora | Tibiae |
Black | Black | Orange |
| | Wings | Inner foretibial spur | Leg notes |
B. mickeli | Western | Hyaline | Long | Tibiae black, sometimes red-tinged |
B. brunnipes (=neojacobi) | BC | Yellow-brown fumose | ⅓ outer | In this form, femur apex brown |
Widespread | hyaline | Long | Legs black to red | |
B. (striatipes (=conus | MB | | ½ outer | Hind femora orange |
B. bryanti | Northern | Hyaline | ½ outer | |
B. pingreensis | UT, CO | Whitish to grayish hyaline | 1/3 outer | Middle, hind tibiae yellow/brown |
B. atripilosus | Western | Hyaline to yellow fumose | ¼ outer | Femora may be apically orang |
B. tristis | AZ to KS | Mostly hyaline | ¼ outer | Legs red to brown |
B. flukei | CO, UT | Yellow fumose | ¼ outer | Middle, hind femora basally lighter; emerges in August |
B. autumnalis | CO, UT | Yellow fumose | ¼ outer | Middle, hind femora basally lighter; emerges Sept-Oct, |
B. siebkei | Far North down to CO | hyaline | ¼ outer | |
B. monstri | UT, CO | Hyaline, slightly yellow | ¼ outer | |
Bibio (females)
Females have small eyes.
Ambiguous or mixed leg colors key out both ways:
Females | Scutum | Femora | Tibiae |
Group 1 | Orange | Black | Black |
Group 2 | Orange | Orange | Black |
Group 3 | Orange | Orange | Orange |
Group 4 | Black | Black | Black |
Group 5 | Black | Orange | Black |
Group 6 | Black | Orange | Orange |
Group 7 | Black | Black | Orange |
Females unknown: | |
B. atripilosus | UT, CO |
B. cognatus | CA |
B. criorhinus | Southwestern |
B. fluginatus | BC |
B. pingreensis | UT, CO |
B. similis | UT, CO |
B. tenellus | AK |
Bibio (females) 1
Scutum | Femora | Tibiae |
Orange | Black | Black |
| | Face | Length of head behind eyes | Wings | Scutellum |
Southeastern | Centrally tuberculate | Longer than length of eyes | Dusky fumose | Red | |
Southeastern | Not tuberculate | Shorter than length of eyes | Dusky fumose | Black |
Bibio (females) 2
Scutum | Femora | Tibiae |
Orange | Orange | Black |
| | Wings |
Eastern | Hyaline to dusky fumose |
B. alienus, TX, © Mike Quinn, BugGuide / CC-BY-ND-NC
Bibio (females) 3
Scutum | Femora | Tibiae |
Orange | Orange | Orange |
| | Wings | Inner foretibial spur | thorax | abdomen | notes |
B. conus | MB | Yellow fumose | ½ outer | Dorsally yellowed, laterally yellow-tinged | Black | |
East of UT | Yellow to yellow-brown fumose | Long | Dorsally red, lateral darker | Black | | |
B. brunnipes | Northern | Dark yellow-brown fumose | 1/3 outer | Dorsally red, laterally dark | Black | |
B. alexanderi | widespread | Slightly dusky fumose | ½ to ¼ outer | More or less entirely red | Black | Thorax variably black to orange |
Widespread | Yellow fumose | ¼ outer | Entirely red | black | Fall-flying | |
Southeastern | Hyaline to dark fumose | ¼ outer | Entirely red | Black to reddish | Front tibiae orange to black | |
B. inaequalis | Northern | Yellow fumose | ½ outer | Entirely red | Reddish | 7-8.5 mm wing length |
Northeast | Yellow fumose | 1/3 outer | Entirely red | Reddish | 5-6mm wing length |
Bibio (females) 4
Scutum | Femora | Tibiae |
Black | Black | Black |
| | Wings | Inner foretibial spur | Leg notes |
widespread | Whitish hyaline to dusky fumose | ¼ outer | | |
B. vestitus | Western | Yellow-brown fumose | Long | Tibiae black, sometimes red-tinged |
B. necotus | West coast | Hyaline | Long | Tibiae slightly red-tinged |
B. albipennis, CA, © Cedric Lee, iNaturalist / CC-BY-NC
Bibio (females) 5
Scutum | Femora | Tibiae |
Black | Orange | Black |
| | Wings | Inner foretibial spur | Leg notes |
Widespread | Dusky hyaline to smoky black | long | Procoxae red; meso- and metafemora reddish | |
B. abbreviatus | Eastern | Pale yellow fumose | long | Middle and hind tibiae orange |
widespread | Yellow-brown fumose to smoky black | long | Procoxae dark | |
B. holtii | Western | Dark yellow fumose | ¼ outer | |
B. tristis | AZ to KS | Dusky hyaline | ¼ outer | Legs red to brown |
B. rufipes | Widespread | Yellowish fumose | ½ to ¾ outer | |
Bibio (females) 6
Scutum | Femora | Tibiae |
Black | Orange | Orange |
| | |
| | Wings | Inner foretibial spur | Group notes |
B. abbreviatus | Eastern, GA to SD | Pale yellow fumose | Long | Front tibiae black, except sometimes at base |
Widespread | Dusky hyaline to yellow fumose or smoky black | long | Antenna shorter than xanthopus, thorax may be reddish tinged; front tibia often dark | |
Widespread | Darker fumose, posterior veins dark | ½ to ¾ outer | ||
B. bryanti | Northern | Hyaline, posterior veins not darker than membrane | ½ outer | |
B. carri | AB | Hyaline, yellowed, pstrir veins dark | ½ outer | |
B. tristis | AZ to KS | Dusky hyaline to dark fumose | ¼ outer | Legs red to brown |
B. flukei | CO, UT | Yellow fumose | ¼ outer | Femora brownish; emerges in August |
B. autumnalis | CO, UT | Yellow fumose | ¼ outer | Femora brownish; emerges Sept-Oct |
B. alexanderi | widespread | Dusky hyaline to yellow fumose | ½ to ¼ outer | |
B. lobatus | CA | Slightly yellow fumose | ¼ outer | |
B. monstri | UT, CO | Yellow fumose | ¼ outer | |
B. atripilosus | CO to BC | Hyaline to yellow fumose | ¼ outer | |
B. sericatus | BC | Slightly yellow fumose | ¼ outer | |
Widespread | Yellow fumose to yell hyalin | ¼ outer | Fall-flying | |
B. siebkei | Far North down to CO | | ¼ outer | |
Bibio (females) 7
Scutum | Femora | Tibiae |
Black | Black | Orange |
| | Wings | Leg notes |
B. nigritus | Northern | Hyaline | |
B. vestitus | Western | Yellow-brown fumose | Tibiae black, sometimes red-tinged |
Bibiodes
Simplified and reproduced from Hardy 1945 p. 494:
| | Femora | Halteres |
B. femorata | TX to TN | Conspicuously swollen | brownish |
CA to NM, SK | More typical | Yellow | |
B. aestiva | BC to UT | More typical | Dark |
CA, © Aaron Echols, iNaturalist / CC-BY-NC
Dilophus - males
MALES | | Protibial rows of spines | Rostrum (lower face) | Thorax | Legs | Leg and body setae | Wings | |
D. tingi | S CA | 3 , top with 2 and middle with 3 | longer than antennae | black | black | | | costa ends shortly after R5 |
D. spinipes | widespread | 3, top with 3 and middle with 4 | longer than antennae | mostly reddish | | | | costa ends halfway between R5 and M1 |
D. serotinus | widespread | 2 | much shorter than antennae | | | | dusky to black | |
D. stigmaterus | widespread | 2 | ~ as long as antennae | | | | mostly hyaline | |
D. arizonaensis | NV, AZ, NM | 2 | much shorter than antennae | | yellow-orange, including coxae | | mostly hyaline | |
D. orbatus | Southern | 2 | “ “ “ “ | | darker, coxae always dark | black | mostly hyaline | |
D. occipitalis (=oklahomensis) | Southern | 2 | “ “ “ “ | | “ “ “ “ | pale | mostly hyaline | |
D. tibialis (=breviceps) | widespread | 2 | “ “ “ “ | | “ “ “ “ | pale | mostly hyaline | |
D. proximus | CO, WY | 2 | “ “ “ “ | | “ “ “ “ | pale | mostly hyaline | |
D. strigilatus | OR, CA | 2 | “ “ “ “ | | “ “ “ “ | pale | mostly hyaline | |
D. sectus | NH | 2 | “ “ “ “ | | “ “ “ “ | pale | mostly hyaline | |
D. emarginata | CA | 2 | “ “ “ “ | | “ “ “ “ | pale | mostly hyaline | |
D. caurinus | widespread | 2 | “ “ “ “ | | “ “ “ “ | pale | mostly hyaline | |
D. jamesi | widespread | 2 | “ “ “ “ | | “ “ “ “ | pale | mostly hyaline | |
D. obesulus | widespread | 2 | “ “ “ “ | | “ “ “ “ | pale | mostly hyaline | |
D. fulvicoxus | NY, 1 record | 2 | “ “ “ “ | | “ “ “ “ | pale | | *male unknown* |
Dilophus - females
FEMALES | | Protibial rows of spines | Rostrum (lower face) | Thorax | Femora | Tibiae | Wings | |
D. tingi | S CA | 3 , top with 2 and middle with 3 | longer than antennae | black | | | mostly hyaline | costa ends shortly after R5 |
D. spinipes | widespread | 3, top with 3 and middle with 4 | longer than antennae | entirely reddish | | | yellow-brown to dusky black | costa ends halfway between R5 and M1 |
D. orbatus | Southern | 2 | much shorter than antennae | Black | brown to black | brown to black | dusky to black | |
D. serotinus | widespread | 2 | “ “ “ “ | Reddish | coxae+femora reddish | brown to black | dusky to black | |
widespread | 2 | ~ as long as antennae | reddish or black | | | mostly hyaline | | |
D. arizonaensis | NV, AZ, NM | 2 | much shorter than antennae | reddish | yellow-orange | yellow-orange | mostly hyaline | |
D. occipitalis (=oklahomensis) | Southern | 2; upper comb with large broad teeth | “ “ “ “ | reddish; sides of thorax entirely reddish | | brownish, darker | mostly hyaline | 12-16 smaller prothoracic teeth; comb not elevated |
D. tibialis (=breviceps) *tibialis is black thorax, breviceps is reddish | widespread | 2; upper comb with smaller teeth | “ “ “ “ | reddish to black with reddish humeri | all yellow-orange | brownish, darker | mostly hyaline | “” “” “” |
D. strigilatus | OR, CA | 2 | “ “ “ “ | reddish | | brownish, darker | mostly hyaline | 7-10 thickened prothoracic teeth; comb elevated |
D. proximus | CO, WY | 2 | “ “ “ “ | mostly black | all yellow-orange | brownish, darker | mostly hyaline | 12-16 smaller prothoracic teeth; comb not elevated |
D. sectus | NH | 2 | “ “ “ “ | black with reddish humeri | all yellow-orange | brownish, darker | mostly hyaline | “” “” “” |
D. emarginata | CA | 2 | “ “ “ “ | mostly black | fore femora lighter, middle and hind darker | brownish, darker | mostly hyaline | “” “” “” |
D. caurinus | widespread | 2 | “ “ “ “ | black with reddish humeri | all yellow-orange | brownish, darker | mostly hyaline | “” “” “” |
D. jamesi ( is synonym of obesulus according to http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/pubs-online/pdf/be12-179.pdf | widespread | 2 | “ “ “ “ | entirely black | all yellow-orange | brownish, darker | mostly hyaline | “” “” “” |
D. obesulus | widespread | 2 | “ “ “ “ | black with reddish humeri | all yellow-orange | brownish, darker | mostly hyaline | “” “” “” 10-11 teeth |
D. fulvicoxus | NY, 1 record | 2 | “ “ “ “ | mostly black | black except yellow front coxae | black | mostly hyaline | “” “” “” |
Dilophus
| | Protibial rows of spines | Rostrum (lower face) | M Thorax | M legs | Wings | F Thorax | F abdomen | F legs | |
S CA | 3 rows 2:3:? | Longer | black | black | Hyaline | Black | Black | Black, protibiae red | Costa ends soon after R5 | |
D. spinipes *longer snout than serotinus | widespread | 3 rows 3:4:? | ½-3/4 antennae | red | Front, middle femora red, others black | Dusky black to yellow-brown fumose | Red entire | brown | Front, middle femora red, others black | Costa goes 1/2way from R5 to M1 |
widespread | 2 rows | As long as antennae | black | Red to black | Hyaline, yellow in F | Red to black | brown | Yellow-red | | |
widespread | 2 rows | shorter | Black | Black | Dusky to black | Red, darker scutellum | ?black | Femora red | | |
OR, CA | 2 rows | Shorter | Black | Brown-black | Hyaline | Red | black | Femora reddish, tibiae dark | Prothoracic teeth broad, blunt | |
Southern | 2 rows | Shorter | | | hyaline | Red entire | Dark | Femora reddish, tibiae dark | **thoracic combs red ; pprotibial teeth wider than in similar females | |
D. arizonaensis | NV, AZ, NM | 2 rows | Shorter | Black | Yellow to red | yellow fumose | Red entire | reddish | TIBIAE AND FEMORA CONCOLOROUS YELLOW_ORANGE | |
D. tibialis (=breviceps) | widespread | 2 rows | Shorter | black | Red to black | Hyaline in M, yellow fumose in F | Partially red to black | Yellow to black | femora yellow-red, tibiae darker | **thoracic combs black |
Southern | 2 rows ?:4:? | Shorter | Brown to black | Hyaline in M, dark in F | Dark | Dark | Dark | | ||
D. caurinus | widespread | 2 rows | Shorter | black | Black | Hyaline | black | brown | yellow-red femora; tibia dark | |
D. emarginata | CA | 2 rows | Shorter | black | Brown-black | Hyaline | black | Brown-black | Red-brown; mid/hind femora dark | |
D. fulvicoxus | NY | 2 rows | Shorter | | | Hyaline | black | black | black | |
D. jamesi | widespread | 2 rows | Shorter | black | black | Hyaline, yellowed in F | black | Brown-black | Femora red, tibiae darker | |
D. obesulus | widespread | 2 rows | Shorter | black | black | Hyaline | black | Brown-black | Femora yellow-red, tibiae darker | |
D. proximus | CO, WY | 2 rows | Shorter | Black | black | Hyaline | black | Black | Femora yellow-red, tibiae darker | |
D. sectus | NH | 2 rows | Shorter | Black | Brown-black | Hyaline | black | Brown-black | Femora yellow-red, tibiae darker | |
Descriptions adapted from Hardy 1945 p. 498, except D. occipitalis from BugGuide:
Hawaiian Bibionidae
Dilophus sp., CA, © edoswalt, iNaturalist / CC-BY-NC
References
Sources for this entire project include:
References
Other sources consulted for this specific document include:
Penthetria: