Subject: Dance Fly, Empis deterra, attacking a Crane Fly

Location: Upshur County, West Virginia

Stock Number: 07-24962 (above) and 07-24960 (below)

Comments: Despite their pleasant common name, Dance Flies, members of the family Empididae can be fierce predators.

These are two images from a series of shots showing this Dance Fly attacking a much larger Tipulid Crane Fly.

Thanks to Professor Igor Shamshev for the tentative species ID of the Dance Fly; Professor Shamshev cautions that there are several similar species in this large genus.