Water Floating Fly
Profile, ~4mm
Ellura
Water Floating Fly
Legs used as Rafts
 
                      
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:     Anterior

Thank you Niels-Jan Dek for confirming the id of this species for us

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 © 2015-2024 Brett & Marie Smith. All Rights Reserved. Photographed 30-Dec-2015
This species is an Australian Native Species, not listed in the SA Murray Mallee Survey of 2010.