Diagnosis. Very small to large (1.0-13.0 mm, sometimes larger) flies. Head small with relatively large eyes; median margin of eyes usually concave at level of antennae; antennae short or with elongate third segment; mouthparts short to strongly elongate, when elongate projecting forwards to backwards along the anterior coxae. Thorax arched. Wings with C running around wing except in Empidinae; R4+5 often forked; basal cells relatively large; anal cell shorter than second basal cell; discal cell virtually always present. Legs in Empidinae, especially of females, may be adorned with flattened, scale-like setae ("feathered"); Hemerodromiinae with raptorial fore legs. Abdomen short to long; male genitalia symmetrical and not rotated.
Biology. Adults of most species have been found to be predators. Many species have also been reported as flower-visitors where they feed on nectar and some species probably on pollen. Swarming has been observed many species and the swarms are usually situated at a certain marker; in the swarms of the Empidinae males present the females a nuptial gift in the form of a prey or decoy. Larval biology is generally poorly known but larvae are presumed to be predacious and to live in the soil or decaying vegetable matter and dung.
General references. Barták (1982 [Rhamphomyia]), Barták & Kubík (2012 [Rhamphomyia (Holoclera)]), Chvála (1994 [Empis], 1997a [Hilara maura group], 1997b [Hilara chorica complex], 1998 [Hilara flavipes group]), Chvála & Wagner (1989 [catalogue]), Collin (1961 [keys, somewhat out-dated]), Van der Goot (1989c [faunistics Empis], 1991a [Empis]), Van der Goot et al. (2000 [faunistics Hilara]), Steyskal & Knutson (1981 [general]), Wagner (1985 [Heleodromia]).
References to the local fauna. Van Aartsen (1997, 2001b), Van Aartsen et al. (1991), Beuk (1992, 1995, 1996b), Beuk & Zeegers (1992), Chvála (1994, 1997a, 1997b, 1997c, 1999), Chvála & Wagner (1989), Doorman (1962), Van der Goot (1989c), Van der Goot et al. (2000), De Meijere (1904, 1905, 1907, 1916, 1918, 1920a, 1928a, 1939b), Meuffels (1970), Mol (1984), Schonewille et al. (2001), Theowald (1962), Uyttenboogaart (1919), Van der Wulp & De Meijere (1898).
Remarks. Please note that the subfamily Trichopezinae was transferred to the newly erected family Brachystomatidae by Sinclair & Cumming (2006).
How to quote this page: Beuk, P.L.Th., & V.S. van der Goot, 2023. Family Empididae. In: Beuk, P.L.Th. (Ed.): Checklist of the Diptera of the Netherlands, https://diptera-info.nl/news.php?fam=Empididae (date accessed: 02/05/2025).
NL: 173
B: 150, 11?
D: 172
UK: 208
World: 2500
EMPIDIDAE
CLINOCERINAE
Clinocera Meigen, 1803
= Hydrodromia Macquart, 1803
stagnalis (Haliday, 1833)
N
Dolichocephala Macquart, 1823
= Ardoptera Macquart, 1827
= Leptosceles Haliday, 1833
guttata (Haliday, 1833)
N; added by Beuk & Zeegers (1992: xiv)
irrorata (Fallén, 1815)
N
oblongoguttata (Dale, 1878)
N; added as engeli by Beuk (1996b: 51, 197)
= oblongopunctata (Dale, 1878): error by Beuk & Van der Goot (2002f: 156)
= engeli Niesiolowski, 1992
ocellata (Costa, 1854)
N
= novemguttata (Strobl, 1893)
Kowarzia Mik, 1881
bipunctata (Haliday, 1833)
N; added by Meuffels (1970: 123)
Wiedemannia Zetterstedt, 1838
subg. Pseudowiedemannia Engel, 1918
lamellata (Loew, 1869)
N
Note 1
= bistigma (Curtis, 1834): misident. sensu Uyttenboogaart, 1919
EMPIDINAE
Empis Linnaeus, 1758
subg. Anacrostichus Bezzi, 1909
bistortae Meigen, 1822
N; added by Van der Goot (1989c: 177)
nitida Meigen, 1804
N
subg. Coptophlebia Bezzi, 1909
albinervis Meigen, 1822
N
impennis Strobl, 1902
N; added by Chvála & Wagner (1989: 272) and Van der Goot (1989c: 183)
pilimana Loew, 1869
N; added by Chvála & Wagner (1989: 272) and Van der Goot (1989c: 183)
vitripennis Meigen, 1822
N
subg. Empis Linnaeus, 1758
acinerea Chvála, 1985
N; added by Chvála & Wagner (1989: 262) and Van der Goot (1989c: 180)
= cinerea Zetterstedt, 1855: preocc.
aestiva Loew, 1867
N
albopilosa De Meijere, 1935
T
bicuspidata Collin, 1927
N; added by Doorman (1962: 190)
caudatula Loew, 1867
N
= pusio Egger, 1860: misident. sensu Van der Wulp & De Meijere, 1898
chioptera Meigen, 1804
N
dasyprocta Loew, 1867
N; added by Chvála & Wagner (1989: 264) and Van der Goot (1989c: 180)
decora Meigen, 1822
N
= dasythrix De Meijere, 1918
T
genualis Strobl, 1893
N; added by Chvála & Wagner (1989: 265) and Van der Goot (1989c: 181)
gooti Chvála, 1994
T; added by Chvála (1994: 113)
laminata Collin, 1927
= cinerea Zetterstedt, 1855: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1916
lepidopus Meigen, 1822
N; added by Van der Goot (1989c: 181)
levis Loew, 1873
N; added by Chvála (1994: 129)
nigripes Fabricius, 1794
N
= pennaria Fallén, 1816
= vernalis Meigen, 1822
nuntia Meigen, 1838
N
= pennaria Fallén, 1816: misident. sensu Van der Wulp & De Meijere, 1898
pennipes Linnaeus, 1758
N
planetica Collin, 1927
N; added by Chvála & Wagner (1989: 268) and Van der Goot (1989c: 182)
praevia Collin, 1927
N; added by Van Aartsen (1997: 8)
prodromus Loew, 1867
N
rufiventris Meigen, 1838
N; added by Chvála & Wagner (1989: 269) and Van der Goot (1989c: 183)
serotina Loew, 1867
N
syrovatkai Chvála, 1985
N
= decora Meigen, 1822: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1907
= plumipes Zetterstedt, 1842: preocc.
tanysphyra Loew, 1873
N; added by Chvála & Wagner (1989: 270) and Van der Goot (1989c: 183)
woodi Collin, 1927
N; added by Van der Goot (1989c: 183)
subg. Euempis Frey, 1953
ciliata Fabricius, 1787
N
picipes Meigen, 1804
N; added by Chvála & Wagner (1989: 252) and Van der Goot (1989c: 178)
sericans Brullé, 1832
N
= picipes Meigen, 1804: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1939
= nepticula Loew, 1869
= brevicornis Loew, 1869: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1904
tessellata Fabricius, 1794
N
subg. Kritempis Collin, 1926
livida Linnaeus, 1758
N
subg. Leptempis Collin, 1926
confusa Loew, 1865
N; added by Van Aartsen (2001b: 113)
grisea Fallén, 1816
N
nigricans Meigen, 1804
N
Note 2
= rustica Fallén, 1816: misident. sensu auct.
= meridionalis Meigen, 1822: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1920
variegata Meigen, 1804
N
= maculata Fabricius, 1781: misident. sensu Van der Wulp & De Meijere, 1898
subg. Lissempis Bezzi, 1909
nigritarsis Meigen, 1804
N; added by Van Aartsen (1997: 8)
subg. Pachymeria Stephens, 1829
femorata Fabricius, 1798
N
subg. Platyptera Meigen, 1803
borealis Linnaeus, 1758
N
subg. Polyblepharis Bezzi, 1909
opaca Meigen, 1804
N
subg. Xanthempis Bezzi, 1909
aemula Loew, 1873
N; added by Van der Goot (1989c: 176)
digramma Meigen in Gistl, 1835
N
= punctata Meigen, 1804: misident. sensu Van der Wulp & De Meijere, 1898
= bilineata Loew, 1867
lutea Meigen, 1804
N
punctata Meigen, 1804
N
= ignota Meigen, 1830
scutellata Curtis, 1835
N
= parvula Egger, 1860
stercorea Linnaeus, 1761
N
= stigma Meigen, 1838
testacea Fabricius, 1805
N; added by Chvála (1994: 170)
trigramma Wiedemann in Meigen, 1822
N
Hilara Meigen, 1822
aartseni Chvála, 1997
T; added by Chvála (1997b: 103)
albipennis von Roser, 1840
N; added by Beuk & Zeegers (1992: xiv) and Beuk (1992: 106)
albitarsis von Roser, 1840
= argyrosoma Strobl, 1892
= braueri Strobl, 1892: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1904
anglodanica Lundbeck, 1913
N; added by Van der Goot et al. (2000: 124, 127)
angustifrons Strobl, 1892
N; added by Van der Goot et al. (2000: 123, 124, 127)
apta Collin, 1927
N
= cinereomicans Strobl, 1892: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1916
beckeri Strobl, 1892
N
= tetragramma Loew, 1873: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1916
biseta Collin, 1927
N; added by Chvála (1997b: 107)
Note 3
brevistyla Collin, 1927
N; added by Meuffels (1970: 123)
brevivittata Macquart, 1827
N; added by Van der Goot et al. (2000: 124, 127)
canescens Zetterstedt, 1849
N
= nigritarsis Zetterstedt, 1838: misident. sensu Van der Wulp & De Meijere, 1898
cantabrica Strobl, 1899
N
= longirostris Macquart, 1827: misident. sensu Van der Wulp & De Meijere, 1898
= pilipes Zetterstedt, 1838: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1920
= lundbecki Frey, 1913
Note 4
chorica (Fallén, 1816)
N
cilipes Meigen, 1822
N
clypeata Meigen, 1822
N
= pinetorum Zetterstedt, 1849
cornicula Loew, 1873
N
curtisi Collin, 1927
N
= clavipes (Harris, 1776): misident.
Note 5
= spinimana Zetterstedt, 1838: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1916
= spinigera Strobl, 1892: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1916
discalis Chvála, 1996
T; added by Chvála (1997a: 289)
discoidalis Lundbeck, 1910
N
= pseudochorica Strobl, 1892: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1905, 1907; pro parte
= quadrifaria Strobl, 1892: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1939
= monedula Collin, 1927
Note 7
longivittata Zetterstedt, 1842
N; added by Van der Goot et al. (2000: 124, 129)
lugubris (Zetterstedt, 1819)
N; added by Van der Goot et al. (2000: 124, 129)
lurida (Fallén, 1816)
N
macquarti Straka, 1985
N; added by Van der Goot et al. (2000: 124, 130)
manicata Meigen, 1822
N; added by Beuk (1996b: 51, 197)
maura (Fabricius, 1776)
N
medeteriformis Collin, 1961
N; added by Van der Goot et al. (2000: 124, 130)
media Collin, 1927
N; added by Chvála (1997a: 290)
nigrina (Fallén, 1816)
N
nigrocincta De Meijere, 1935
T
= manicata Meigen, 1822: misident. sensu Van der Wulp & De Meijere, 1898
= pinetorum Zetterstedt, 1849: misident. sensu Van der Wulp & De Meijere, 1898
= sartor Becker, 1888: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1916
nitidorella Chvála, 1996
T; added by Chvála (1997a: 277)
nitidula Zetterstedt, 1838
N; added by Van Aartsen et al. (1991: ix)
obscura Meigen, 1822
N; added by Van Aartsen et al. (1991: ix)
pilipes Zetterstedt, 1838
N; added by Van der Goot et al. (2000: 124, 131)
pilosa Zetterstedt, 1842
N; added by Beuk (1996b: 52, 197)
primula Collin, 1927
N
= hirta Strobl, 1892: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1916; pro parte
pseudochorica Strobl, 1892
N; added by Chvála (1997b: 111)
= woodi Collin, 1927
pseudocornicula Strobl, 1909
N; added as subpollinosa by Van der Goot et al. (2000: 124, 132)
= subpollinosa Collin, 1927
Note 8
pseudosartrix Strobl, 1892
N; added by Chvála (1997c: 314)
quadrivittata Meigen, 1822
N
Note 9
= pubipes Loew, 1873: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1907
recedens Walker, 1851
N; added by Van der Goot et al. (2000: 124, 132)
Note 10
rejecta Collin, 1927
N; added by Meuffels (1970: 123)
Note 11
sturmii Wiedemann in Meigen, 1822
N
Note 12
= cingulata Dahlbom, 1850: misident. sensu auct.
tenella (Fallén, 1816)
N
ternovensis Strobl, 1898
N; added as griseifrons by Van der Goot et al. (2000: 124, 129)
= griseifrons Collin, 1927
Note 13
thoracica Macquart, 1827
N
veltmani Chvála, 1999
T; added by Chvála (1999: 142)
woodiella Chvála, 1999
T; added by Chvála (1999: 136)
Rhamphomyia Meigen, 1822
subg. Aclonempis Collin, 1926
albohirta Collin, 1926
N; informally added by Beuk & Van der Goot (2002f: 159)
eupterota Loew, 1873
N; added by Schonewille et al. (2001: 97)
longipes (Meigen, 1804)
N
Note 14
= aethiops Zetterstedt, 1838: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1904
= pulicaria (Loew, 1869)
subg. Amydroneura Collin, 1926
erythrophthalma Meigen, 1830
N
= crassicauda Strobl, 1893: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1939
= serotina Oldenberg, 1915
= serotina De Meijere, 1918: preocc.
T
= hirsutipes Collin, 1926
Note 15
gibba (Fallén, 1816)
N
subg. Holoclera Schiner, 1860
caliginosa Collin, 1926
N; added by Beuk (1995: 107)
Note 11
= nigripennis (Fabricius, 1794): misident. sensu De Meijere, 1939; pro parte
flava (Fallén, 1816)
N
lamellata Collin, 1926
N; informally added by Beuk & Van der Goot (2002f: 160)
nigripennis (Fabricius, 1794)
N
= umbripennis Meigen, 1830: misident. sensu Van der Wulp & De Meijere, 1898
= pulchra (Egger, 1860)
trigemina Oldenberg, 1927
N; added by Beuk (1995: 108)
= nigripennis (Fabricius, 1794): misident. sensu De Meijere, 1939; pro parte
umbripennis Meigen, 1822
N; added by Beuk & Zeegers (1992: xiv)
Note 16
= nigripennis (Fabricius, 1794): misident. sensu De Meijere, 1939; pro parte
variabilis (Fallén, 1816)
N
= tenuirostris (Fallén, 1816)
subg. Megacyttarus Bigot, 1880
anomalipennis Meigen, 1822
N; added by Chvála & Wagner (1989: 294)
Note 11
crassirostris (Fallén, 1816)
N
= nigripes (Fabricius, 1794): misident. sensu auct.
maculipennis Zetterstedt, 1842
N; added by Beuk (1995: 108)
poissoni (Tréhen, 1966)
N; added by Beuk & Zeegers (1992: xiv)
= tephraea Meigen, 1822: misident. sensu auct.
subg. Pararhamphomyia Frey, 1822
aethiops Zetterstedt, 1838
N; added by Beuk (1995: 109)
Note 17
albipennis (Fallén, 1816)
N; added by Beuk (1996b: 52, 197)
atra Meigen, 1822
N
barbata (Macquart, 1823)
N
= bicolor (Macquart, 1823)
= pennata Macquart, 1827
caesia Meigen, 1822
N
= filata Zetterstedt, 1842
curvula Frey, 1913
N; informally added by Beuk & Van der Goot (2002f: 160)
fuscula Zetterstedt, 1838
N; informally added by Beuk & Van der Goot (2002f: 160)
geniculata Meigen, 1830
N
= plumipes (Meigen, 1804): misident. sensu Fallén, 1816 et auct.
= squamigera Loew, 1840
= gracilipes Loew, 1840
griseola Zetterstedt, 1838
N; informally added by Beuk & Van der Goot (2002f: 160)
= dispar Zetterstedt, 1838
marginata (Fabricius, 1787)
N
= platyptera (Panzer, 1794)
micropyga Collin, 1926
N; informally added by Beuk & Van der Goot (2002f: 161)
obscura Zetterstedt, 1838
N; informally added by Beuk & Van der Goot (2002f: 161)
obscuripennis Meigen, 1830
N; added by Beuk & Zeegers (1992: xiv)
= nitidicollis Frey, 1913
physoprocta Frey, 1913
N
= niveipennis Zetterstedt, 1838: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1916
pilifer Meigen, 1838
N; added by Beuk & Zeegers (1992: xiv) and Beuk (1992: 107)
= dentipes Zetterstedt, 1842
simplex Zetterstedt, 1849
N
tarsata Meigen, 1822
N
tibiella Zetterstedt, 1842
N; added by Beuk & Zeegers (1992: xiv)
Note 18
unguiculata Frey, 1913
N; informally added by Beuk & Van der Goot (2002f: 161)
subg. Rhamphomyia Meigen, 1822
albosegmentata Zetterstedt, 1838
N; informally added by Beuk & Van der Goot (2002f: 161)
argentata von Röder, 1887
N; added by Beuk & Zeegers (1992: xiv) and Beuk (1992: 107)
cinerascens (Meigen, 1804)
N; added by Beuk & Zeegers (1992: xiv)
= subcinerascens Collin, 1926
Note 19
laevipes (Fallén, 1816)
N; added by Beuk (1995: 110)
plumipes (Meigen, 1804)
N; informally added by Beuk & Van der Goot (2002f: 161)
spinipes (Fallén, 1816)
N
stigmosa Macquart, 1827
N
= laevipes (Fallén, 1816): misident.
Note 20
= conformis Kowarz, 1867: misident. sensu Lundbeck, 1910
sulcata (Meigen, 1804)
N
= propinqua De Meijere, 1918
T
sulcatella Collin, 1926
N
= sulcata Collin, 1926: misident. sensu De Meijere, 1918
HEMERODROMIINAE
Chelifera Macquart, 1823
flavella (Zetterstedt, 1838)
precabunda Collin, 1961
N; informally added by Beuk & Van der Goot (2002f: 161)
precatoria (Fallén, 1816)
N
stigmatica (Schiner, 1862)
subangusta Collin, 1961
N; informally added by Beuk & Van der Goot (2002f: 161)
Chelipoda Macquart, 1823
albiseta (Zetterstedt, 1838)
N; added by Beuk (1996b: 52, 197)
vocatoria (Fallén, 1816)
Dryodromia Rondani, 1856
testacea Rondani, 1856
N; added by Belgers (2019: 325)
Hemerodromia Meigen, 1822
baetica Collin, 1927
N; informally added as beatica by Beuk & Van der Goot (2002f: 161)
= beatica Collin, 1927: error by Beuk & Van der Goot (2002f: 161)
oratoria (Fallén, 1816)
raptoria Meigen, 1830
N
unilineata (Zetterstedt, 1842)
N
Phyllodromia Zetterstedt, 1837
= Lepidomya Bigot, 1857
= Lepidomyia Bigot, 1857: emend.
melanocephala (Fabricius, 1794)
N
OREOGETONINAE
Ragas Walker, 1837
= Rhagas Agassiz, 1846: emend.
unica Walker, 1837
N
= minuta (Zetterstedt, 1842)
= saltella (Six, 1868)
Note 21
Deleted species
Chelifera Macquart, 1823
angusta Collin, 1927
trapezina (Zetterstedt, 1838)
Empis Linnaeus, 1758
subg. Coptophlebia Bezzi, 1909
hyalipennis Fallén, 1816
Note 22
Empis Linnaeus, 1758
subg. Empis Linnaeus, 1758
melanotricha Loew, 1873
Note 23
Notes
Note 1
The material reported under the name bistigma in RMNH was checked by Beuk and proved to belong to lamellata.
Note 2
Again added as rustica by Doorman (1962: 190); misidentification corrected by Van der Goot (1989c: 178).
Note 3
Again added by Van der Goot et al. (2000: 124, 127).
Note 4
Synonymy following Chvála (2008: 123).
Note 5
Erroneous record by Chvála & Wagner (1989: 235) based on the misidentification by De Meijere.
Note 6
Added again by Beuk (1996b: 51, 197).
Note 7
Synonymy following Chvála (2004: 127).
Note 8
Synonymy following Chvála (2008: 85).
Note 9
Again added by Meuffels (1970: 123) and Beuk (1996b: 52, 197).
Note 10
Van der Goot et al. (2000: 124, 132) list H. hirta as misidentification of both H. primula and H. recedens. The localities mentioned for H. hirta by De Meijere (1916: 299) only correspond with dots on the map for H. primula in Van der Goot et al. (2000). Thus, H. hirta cannot truly be mentioned as misidentification for H. recedens on the basis of published records.
Note 11
Again added by Beuk (1996b: 52, 197).
Note 12
Van der Goot et al. (2000: 126) list H. grisescens Van der Wulp as collection name.
Note 13
Synonymy following Chvála (2008: 70).
Note 14
Again added as longipes by Meuffels (1970: 123).
Note 15
R. hirsutipes is here listed as synonym of R. erythrophthalma until its status has been clarified. R. hirsutipes is only known in the male sex and is virtually always found together with males and females of R. erythrophthalma. No distinguishing features to separate these species have been found, other that the length of the setae on the legs.
Note 16
Again added by Beuk (1995: 108).
Note 17
Not clear is whether the record given by Chvála & Wagner (1989: 296) is based on the erroneous record of R. aethiops in De Meijere (1939b: 151) or whether they had seen correctly identified material.
Note 18
Again added by Beuk (1995: 110) and Beuk (1996b: 52, 197).
Note 19
R. subcinerascens is here listed as synonym of R. cinerascens. No distinct distinguishing features between the species are found as the characters usually given to separate these species are variable.
Note 20
The true R. conformis is a synonym of R. laevipes. The record under the name R. laevipes was based on the erroneous interpretation of the synonymy of R. conformis sensu Lundbeck, 1910.
Note 21
See Van der Goot et al. (2000: 123).
Note 22
It is not clear on what material the record by Chvála (1994: 184) is based and therefore this species is deleted from the list.
Note 23
This species was listed by Chvála & Wagner (1989: 267) and Chvála (1994: 102). It was not listed by Van der Goot (1989c) and according to him the previous record by Chvála & Wagner (1989) was based on a misidentification. Not clear is why Chvála (1994) repeats the record.
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