Another game of "What the heck is this?"

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mikemike
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Another game of "What the heck is this?"

Post by mikemike »

I've never gotten around to looking these things up, and just decided to haul my camera into the bathroom to get a shot... but what the heck are these things?

I'm assuming they're a fly of some kind... anyhow, I only seem to see them in bathrooms. I used to see them back home in northern California, I think I've seen them in my bathroom when I was living in Portland Oregon, and I see a couple daily in my bathroom here in Arkansas...

Total length approx: 7mm.

Image
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Owen
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Re: Another game of "What the heck is this?"

Post by Owen »

It's called a moth fly. Family Psychodidae.
mikemike
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Re: Another game of "What the heck is this?"

Post by mikemike »

Well that would explain why I wasn't sure if it's a fly or a moth! Haha.

Thanks Owen.
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Natalie McNear
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Re: Another game of "What the heck is this?"

Post by Natalie McNear »

Awesome! Not just the fly, but the family name too. I've never seen those around here (or anywhere, for that matter).
mikemike
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Re: Another game of "What the heck is this?"

Post by mikemike »

I never saw many in California but I've seen em. I used to see them every once in a while when I lived in Tracy, and I've seen a couple up in Ukiah, but they're everywhere out here it seems like.
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Kelly Mc
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Re: Another game of "What the heck is this?"

Post by Kelly Mc »

Flies are neat . so diverse - panoramic even . That guy looks like a tiny werewolf :lol: great photo and i got to learn about another cool fly
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JAMAUGHN
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Re: Another game of "What the heck is this?"

Post by JAMAUGHN »

For some reason we have tons of these in Santa Cruz.

In my house we call these "coffee moths" because nearly every morning when I make coffee one or two of them kamikazies into the coffee mug. They lose their neat factor pretty quickly when you are constantly fishing them out of your drink.

Nice to know what they actually are, though.
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Kelly Mc
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Re: Another game of "What the heck is this?"

Post by Kelly Mc »

i have a stupid and unhealthy tolerance for such things by nature .

especially because i am heinously captive in a city environment and only bother to wisk houseflies away from my soda by reminding myself they could have possibly been recently exploring a dead junkies nostril in the park .

i once let a mosquito bite me because i liked her company .


i am new here and dont know how to get aquainted except by being myself , i hope its okay .
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Andy Avram
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Re: Another game of "What the heck is this?"

Post by Andy Avram »

I have always called them drain flies. I had a pretty bad infestation of them last year after I bought my house. I have finally got them to the point where I only see one or two on occasion. The maggots live in gunk trapped in your drains. If you see a lot you may have to flush or snake out your drain pipes.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2071.html

Andy
webherper
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Re: Another game of "What the heck is this?"

Post by webherper »

We always call them Sewer Flies...The most I ever saw was when we had a septic tank pumped out at a KOA I worked at in Rodanthe, NC.
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