Subject: Male and Female Fish Fly?
Location: Troy, VA
June 30, 2016 2:25 pm
I believe these are male and female fish flies. The female was very active while the male just sat there. I don’t think she ever closed her wings. I will draw no conclusions from this.
Signature: Grace Pedalino
Male Fishfly (Pectinate Antennae)
Dear Grace,
We really love your newest images. Perhaps you captured these Fishflies post-coital and he has completed his mission and now can contribute to the food chain, while she must have the energy to lay eggs in a nearby aquatic environment. It is late in the season for Spring Fishflies, according to BugGuide, but your female appears to have serrate or saw-like antennae, a characteristic of the female Spring Fishfly as opposed to the female Summer Fishfly, though this is the season for the Summer Fishfly according to BugGuide, as both female and male Summer Fishflies have pectinate or comb-like antennae, along with only the male Spring Fishfly. Read more about the Spring Fishfly, Chauliodes rastricornis, on BugGuide and also read more about the Summer Fishfly, Chauliodes pectinicornis, on BugGuide. It took us years finally to get images of mating, related Dobsonflies. We prefer your image of the male Fishfly on the white background as it better sets off his antennae.
Female Fishfly (Serrate Antennae)
I like This
