Black Scavenger Flies

Family Sepsidae

Sepsis sp.. Photo:Stephanie Boucher

Larvae of Sepsidae feed in dung and other decaying materials. Adults are sometimes very common in the same habitats but also feed at flowers. Adults often walk around in small circles flicking their wings back and forth. Sepsidae are small to medium sized flies, usually dark metallic in colour but rarely dull black or brownish to yellowish. The head is very rounded, and the body is antlike in shape. The wings are long and clear, often with a dark spot near the tip.