Picture-winged Fly

Natural Habitat

Gardens, woodlands, and damp areas with decaying organic matter across North America.

Diet & Feeding

Larvae feed on decaying plant matter; adults feed on organic fluids such as nectar, sap, or fluids from decomposing vegetation.

Behavior Patterns

Notable for their unique wing-waving behavior, they move their patterned wings in rotating motions to communicate and deter predators. They are often mistaken for fruit flies due to wing patterns.

Risks & Benefits

Generally harmless to humans and are not known to transmit diseases. They provide ecosystem benefits as decomposers of organic material.

Identified on: 5/26/2026