order
Coleoptera
“Adult Beetles”
Coleoptera
“Larval Beetles”
Diptera
“True Flies”
Ephemeroptera
“Mayflies”
Hemiptera
“True Bugs”
Lepidoptera
“Aquatic Caterpillars, Snout Moths”
Megaloptera
“Alderflies, Dobsonflies, and Fishflies”
Odonata
“Dragonflies and Damselflies”
Plecoptera
“Stoneflies”
Trichoptera
“Caddisflies”
family
Stratiomyidae
“Soldier Flies”
Family Overview
Stratiomyidae
Soldier Flies
Most of the head is conspicuous but nearly incapable of movement; it has distinctive lateral eye prominences; there are no segmented legs; the body is somewhat depressed and its integument is tough and leathery from calcium deposits.
Characteristics
POLLUTION TOLERANCE
Mid-Atlantic: up to 7
FEEDING HABITS
Collector / Gatherer
MOVEMENT
Sprawler
Swimmer
Swimmer
Diagnostic Characters
order
Legs Absent
family
Body Flattened
Head Capsule Sclerotized and Mostly Exposed
Leathery Integument
Mandibles Moving Vertically
+ Expanded Character List
Order:
Wings and wing pads absent. Eye spots sometimes visible, but compound eyes absent. Segmented legs absent, but sometimes fleshy prolegs present. Sometimes with distinct head, often without head or with head drawn deeply into thorax. Body flattened, cylindrical, or maggot-like.
Family:
Most of the head is conspicuous but nearly incapable of movement; it has distinctive lateral eye prominences; there are no segmented legs; the body is somewhat depressed and its integument is tough and leathery from calcium deposits.
Lateral