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Bibionidae - US/Canada (in development)

Authors: Even Dankowicz

Last updated: April 2021

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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

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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

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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.

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Hesperinus brevifrons

Northern and throughout Rocky Mountains

See image here

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Bibiodes

  • Black, hyaline wings, small-bodied

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

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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*

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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

“” “” “”

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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:

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Hawaiian Bibionidae

  • Dilophus occipitalis reported once, establishment unknown

Dilophus sp., CA, © edoswalt, iNaturalist / CC-BY-NC

26 of 27

References

Sources for this entire project include:

  • BugGuide.net
  • iNaturalist.org
  • Steve Marshall - Flies: The Natural History and Diversity of Diptera
  • Diptera.org
  • Nearctic Manual of Diptera

27 of 27

References

Other sources consulted for this specific document include:

  • Fitzgerald, 2004. Evolution and Classification of Bibionidae (Diptera: Bibionomorpha). PhD Dissertation, Oregon State University.
  • UFL guide to Plecia: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in204
  • Hardy, 1945. Revision of Nearctic Bibionidae including Neotropical Plecia and Penthetria (Diptera). The University of Kansas Science Bulletin. 30(15): 367-547
  • Hardy, 1961. The Bibionidae of California. Bulletin of the California Insect Survey. 6(7): 179-196. https://essig.berkeley.edu/documents/cis/cis06_7.pdf
  • Fitzgerald, 1996. Notes on Nearctic Bibio (Diptera: Bibionidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 98(1): 50-54
  • Fitzgerald, 1997. Additional Notes on Nearctic Bibio Geoffroy (Diptera: Bibionidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 99(2): 294-304
  • Fitzgerald, Scott J. 1997. A Revision of Bibio (Diptera: Bibionidae) of Mexico and Central America. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 123(4):225-287
  • Fitzgerald, Skartveit, 1997. Holarctic distributions in the genus Bibio (Diptera: Bibionidae). Entomologica scandinavica. 28(1): 103-119
  • Fitzgerald, 1998. Reevaluation of unrecognized Nearctic Bibio Geoffroy names (Diptera: Bibionidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 100(2): 252-255
  • Hardy, 1956. The Walker Types of Bibionidae (Diptera). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 29(3):85-91
  • Australasian-Oceanian Diptera Catalog

Penthetria:

  • Fitzgerald, 2021. Penthetria Meigen (Diptera: Bibionidae): Revision of the New World species and world catalog. Zootaxa 4926(4).