Water Floating Fly
Head & Facial Hair
Ellura
Water Floating Fly
Close up on mouth
 
                      
Water Floating Fly (Brachydeutera sydneyensis)Class: Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta)
Order: Flies (Diptera)
Family: Shore Fly (Ephydridae)     iNaturalist Observation
Species: Water Floating Fly (Brachydeutera sydneyensis)
This Photo:     🔍Drinking in unison🔎

General Species Information:
Found on Ellura (in the Murray Mallee, SA), the Adelaide Hills and elsewhere
Small light brown & white fly regularly seen floating on water. They float there lapping up water with their elongated mouths at a very rapid rate; so getting 2 drinking at once was pure luck. Took so many photo's to get one with the mouth actually touching the water and in reasonable focus. They are so light they can float on 4 legs while using the front, or rear, pair to clean themselves.

Similar Species: Long Legged Fly (Hydrophorus praecox)

Copyright © 2016-2024 Brett & Marie Smith. All Rights Reserved. Photographed 07-Dec-2016
This species is an Australian Native Species, not listed in the SA Murray Mallee Survey of 2010.