One more diptera please

[bub]

This little guy is 5mm long.  When he rests, his wings continuously move.  I see them often here in Orange County California.

[trehopr1]

There are an awful lot of small fly families; so unless you are a specialist (Dipterist) within this order of insects it is unlikely that most entomologists or hobby enthusiasts can honestly forward a credible identification !

Yes, a few of the families are distinct.
However, most (small) fly families require a knowledge and understanding of "wing venation" to determine them to family.

It has been remarked that the order Diptera (flies) is likely the largest order of insects. Estimates of numbers of species range all the way up to 1 million (possible). There is a tremendous backlog of unidentified species throughout the museums of the world; with relatively few people qualified to put names to them.

The order Coleoptera (beetles) has long maintained the title of largest order of insects (presently at 350,000 + species)
because there have been dozens and dozens of workers on that order over the last 250+ years. Thus, they in essence have been far more studied then most all of the other insect orders.

Only the order Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) / (160,000 + species) has had anywhere near the number of workers studying them over the years.

[mikeh]

Consider Pogonortalis doclea

[bub]

Apr 3, 2022 20:00:13 GMT -8 mikeh said:

Consider Pogonortalis doclea

That's it!  Thank you.

It waves it's wings like rowing a boat.  It has to be a boatman fly.