Forcipomyia midge larvae oozing around, eating slimes. The shiny things on them are drops of chemical protective agent. Small staphy beetle makes a cameo but dares not disturb the peaceful grazers
January 1, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Forcipomyia midge larvae oozing around, eating slimes. The shiny things on them are drops of chemical protective agent. Small staphy beetle makes a cameo but dares not disturb the peaceful grazers
Another day, another jaw-dropping little weirdo insect. The video is very cool. thekidshouldseethis.com/post/tiny-pe...
Tiny Pearls and Cotton Candy: Up close with two Forcipomyia (biting midge) larvae
There are different subspecies of Forcipomyia, biting midge larvae that come in a variety of tiny forms. This video by Japanese macro-photographer and
thekidshouldseethis.com
April 1, 2026 at 2:09 PM
Another day, another jaw-dropping little weirdo insect. The video is very cool. thekidshouldseethis.com/post/tiny-pe...
Ok for #hexapodecember - my favourite invertebrate of the year was (obvs) a fly
It was this Forcipomyia sp. (Ceratopogonidae - biting midge) that was engorging on the lymph of this Pseudophasmatidae - found in the Peruvian Amazon
I nominate @bertonemyia.bsky.social to continue the hexapod love
It was this Forcipomyia sp. (Ceratopogonidae - biting midge) that was engorging on the lymph of this Pseudophasmatidae - found in the Peruvian Amazon
I nominate @bertonemyia.bsky.social to continue the hexapod love
December 22, 2024 at 11:57 AM
Ok for #hexapodecember - my favourite invertebrate of the year was (obvs) a fly
It was this Forcipomyia sp. (Ceratopogonidae - biting midge) that was engorging on the lymph of this Pseudophasmatidae - found in the Peruvian Amazon
I nominate @bertonemyia.bsky.social to continue the hexapod love
It was this Forcipomyia sp. (Ceratopogonidae - biting midge) that was engorging on the lymph of this Pseudophasmatidae - found in the Peruvian Amazon
I nominate @bertonemyia.bsky.social to continue the hexapod love
I think the larva could be of a biting midge in genus Forcipomyia - see the info at www.chaosofdelight.org/forcipomyia
All about Forcipomyia larvae - A Chaos of Delight
The Forcipomyia are a subfamily of biting midges that live in the soil as larvae. They are remarkably strange and rather beautiful.
www.chaosofdelight.org
December 29, 2024 at 9:41 AM
I think the larva could be of a biting midge in genus Forcipomyia - see the info at www.chaosofdelight.org/forcipomyia
This festival of waxy lumps is a baby biting midge, AKA a Forcipomyia larvae. Before they grow into bloodsuckers, they're surprisingly cute.
My good friend @mesofauna.bsky.social has a whole webpage dedicated to them - so go check that out! www.chaosofdelight.org/forcipomyia
#SoilBiodiversity 🧪
My good friend @mesofauna.bsky.social has a whole webpage dedicated to them - so go check that out! www.chaosofdelight.org/forcipomyia
#SoilBiodiversity 🧪
July 15, 2025 at 4:28 AM
This festival of waxy lumps is a baby biting midge, AKA a Forcipomyia larvae. Before they grow into bloodsuckers, they're surprisingly cute.
My good friend @mesofauna.bsky.social has a whole webpage dedicated to them - so go check that out! www.chaosofdelight.org/forcipomyia
#SoilBiodiversity 🧪
My good friend @mesofauna.bsky.social has a whole webpage dedicated to them - so go check that out! www.chaosofdelight.org/forcipomyia
#SoilBiodiversity 🧪
forcipomyia larvae are oozing around in my bromeliad with their little weirdo balloon hairs
September 11, 2024 at 3:54 AM
forcipomyia larvae are oozing around in my bromeliad with their little weirdo balloon hairs
Cool video of Forcipomyia (biting midge) larvae feeding on slimy surfaces. This is the genus that includes many cocoa pollinating midge species; we need to know more about what they like so we can provide for their ecological needs! That way, happy Forcipomyia spp. & well-pollinated cocoa!
Forcipomyia midge larvae oozing around, eating slimes. The shiny things on them are drops of chemical protective agent. Small staphy beetle makes a cameo but dares not disturb the peaceful grazers
January 1, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Cool video of Forcipomyia (biting midge) larvae feeding on slimy surfaces. This is the genus that includes many cocoa pollinating midge species; we need to know more about what they like so we can provide for their ecological needs! That way, happy Forcipomyia spp. & well-pollinated cocoa!
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING FIND TODAY
A biting midge (Forcipomyia, Ceratopogonidae)feasting on the viens of the wings of this Pseudophasmatidae. (I may have squealed in the field)
I cant believe that I have actually seen this! Look at how engorged she is
Location - The Peruvian Amazon
#Entomology #Science
A biting midge (Forcipomyia, Ceratopogonidae)feasting on the viens of the wings of this Pseudophasmatidae. (I may have squealed in the field)
I cant believe that I have actually seen this! Look at how engorged she is
Location - The Peruvian Amazon
#Entomology #Science
March 20, 2024 at 12:25 PM
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING FIND TODAY
A biting midge (Forcipomyia, Ceratopogonidae)feasting on the viens of the wings of this Pseudophasmatidae. (I may have squealed in the field)
I cant believe that I have actually seen this! Look at how engorged she is
Location - The Peruvian Amazon
#Entomology #Science
A biting midge (Forcipomyia, Ceratopogonidae)feasting on the viens of the wings of this Pseudophasmatidae. (I may have squealed in the field)
I cant believe that I have actually seen this! Look at how engorged she is
Location - The Peruvian Amazon
#Entomology #Science
I love these little guys!!! And the adults are very cool too (www.flickr.com/search/?user...), and pollinate chocolate!
Flickr Search — “forcipomyia”
www.flickr.com
April 1, 2026 at 3:35 PM
I love these little guys!!! And the adults are very cool too (www.flickr.com/search/?user...), and pollinate chocolate!
Lizards bite bugs, but sometimes bugs bite lizards. Here's an anole (I think an Osa/Lion Anole, Anolis lionotus) at rest in early evening, being stalked by a tiny biting midge, guessing Forcipomyia sp. (lower right). Some midges even bite other bugs, like stick insects & katydids. (Costa Rica) 🐙🌿🦎
June 5, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Lizards bite bugs, but sometimes bugs bite lizards. Here's an anole (I think an Osa/Lion Anole, Anolis lionotus) at rest in early evening, being stalked by a tiny biting midge, guessing Forcipomyia sp. (lower right). Some midges even bite other bugs, like stick insects & katydids. (Costa Rica) 🐙🌿🦎
See the problem/advantage of this is that my book at page 42 has a photo of a chocolate midge, Forcipomyia sp., and without this lil dude we would have NO chocolate. All hail the lil chocomidge!! 🍫
January 22, 2026 at 10:14 AM
See the problem/advantage of this is that my book at page 42 has a photo of a chocolate midge, Forcipomyia sp., and without this lil dude we would have NO chocolate. All hail the lil chocomidge!! 🍫
¿Sabías que...?
El récord Guinness del insecto capaz de batir las alas más rápido lo ostentan las mosquillas del género Forcipomyia (Familia Ceratopogonidae): ¡62,760 batidos por minuto! 😮. Además de rápidos, estos dípteros son los principales polinizadores de la flor del cacao 🌼🍫
El récord Guinness del insecto capaz de batir las alas más rápido lo ostentan las mosquillas del género Forcipomyia (Familia Ceratopogonidae): ¡62,760 batidos por minuto! 😮. Además de rápidos, estos dípteros son los principales polinizadores de la flor del cacao 🌼🍫
December 5, 2024 at 8:01 AM
¿Sabías que...?
El récord Guinness del insecto capaz de batir las alas más rápido lo ostentan las mosquillas del género Forcipomyia (Familia Ceratopogonidae): ¡62,760 batidos por minuto! 😮. Además de rápidos, estos dípteros son los principales polinizadores de la flor del cacao 🌼🍫
El récord Guinness del insecto capaz de batir las alas más rápido lo ostentan las mosquillas del género Forcipomyia (Familia Ceratopogonidae): ¡62,760 batidos por minuto! 😮. Además de rápidos, estos dípteros son los principales polinizadores de la flor del cacao 🌼🍫
Here is today’s sighting of the parasitic biting midge Forcipomyia eques attached to its lacewing host
June 27, 2026 at 1:03 AM
Here is today’s sighting of the parasitic biting midge Forcipomyia eques attached to its lacewing host
I. LOVE. THESE. #FLIES. 🥰
If you like #chocolate, so should you! The genus #Forcipomyia (Ceratopogonidae) is the main pollinator of cacao. They're tiny & their larvae live in decaying plant matter. These have sticky droplets along their body for defence.
Costa Rica (August)
If you like #chocolate, so should you! The genus #Forcipomyia (Ceratopogonidae) is the main pollinator of cacao. They're tiny & their larvae live in decaying plant matter. These have sticky droplets along their body for defence.
Costa Rica (August)
November 13, 2024 at 9:33 PM
I. LOVE. THESE. #FLIES. 🥰
If you like #chocolate, so should you! The genus #Forcipomyia (Ceratopogonidae) is the main pollinator of cacao. They're tiny & their larvae live in decaying plant matter. These have sticky droplets along their body for defence.
Costa Rica (August)
If you like #chocolate, so should you! The genus #Forcipomyia (Ceratopogonidae) is the main pollinator of cacao. They're tiny & their larvae live in decaying plant matter. These have sticky droplets along their body for defence.
Costa Rica (August)
Sabies que...?
El rècord Guinness a l'insecte capaç de batre les ales més ràpid l'ostenten les mosques del gènere Forcipomyia (Fam. Ceratopogonidae): fins a 62.760 cops per minut! 😮. A banda de ràpids, aquests dípters són els principals pol·linitzadors de la flor del cacau 🌼🍫
#divulgacioencatala
El rècord Guinness a l'insecte capaç de batre les ales més ràpid l'ostenten les mosques del gènere Forcipomyia (Fam. Ceratopogonidae): fins a 62.760 cops per minut! 😮. A banda de ràpids, aquests dípters són els principals pol·linitzadors de la flor del cacau 🌼🍫
#divulgacioencatala
December 5, 2024 at 12:12 PM
Sabies que...?
El rècord Guinness a l'insecte capaç de batre les ales més ràpid l'ostenten les mosques del gènere Forcipomyia (Fam. Ceratopogonidae): fins a 62.760 cops per minut! 😮. A banda de ràpids, aquests dípters són els principals pol·linitzadors de la flor del cacau 🌼🍫
#divulgacioencatala
El rècord Guinness a l'insecte capaç de batre les ales més ràpid l'ostenten les mosques del gènere Forcipomyia (Fam. Ceratopogonidae): fins a 62.760 cops per minut! 😮. A banda de ràpids, aquests dípters són els principals pol·linitzadors de la flor del cacau 🌼🍫
#divulgacioencatala
Finally putting labels and barcodes on the material collected from the #OperationWallacea Peru trip in March
This was the amazing Forcipomyia sp. specimen engorging herself for the sake of her offspring! And it’s not only vertebrates that midges fed upon…
@NHM_London #Entomology #Invertebrates
This was the amazing Forcipomyia sp. specimen engorging herself for the sake of her offspring! And it’s not only vertebrates that midges fed upon…
@NHM_London #Entomology #Invertebrates
September 2, 2024 at 7:51 PM
Finally putting labels and barcodes on the material collected from the #OperationWallacea Peru trip in March
This was the amazing Forcipomyia sp. specimen engorging herself for the sake of her offspring! And it’s not only vertebrates that midges fed upon…
@NHM_London #Entomology #Invertebrates
This was the amazing Forcipomyia sp. specimen engorging herself for the sake of her offspring! And it’s not only vertebrates that midges fed upon…
@NHM_London #Entomology #Invertebrates
Irritatingly specific question: has Forcipomyia seneveti been renamed? Came out in a 100 yo key but v. little information available about this species so either it's v. understudied despite old papers implying it's not rare, or there is information but calls it something else? #Diptera #Forcipomyia
February 1, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Irritatingly specific question: has Forcipomyia seneveti been renamed? Came out in a 100 yo key but v. little information available about this species so either it's v. understudied despite old papers implying it's not rare, or there is information but calls it something else? #Diptera #Forcipomyia
For a good 70 years, all the books said that mostly it was Ceratopogonidae midges, usually in the genus Forcipomyia. Forcipomyia spp. are found pretty much everywhere - even in colder countries. Lots of species seem able to do the job. They visit cocoa flowers - though rarely in large numbers. [4/]
February 13, 2026 at 4:13 PM
For a good 70 years, all the books said that mostly it was Ceratopogonidae midges, usually in the genus Forcipomyia. Forcipomyia spp. are found pretty much everywhere - even in colder countries. Lots of species seem able to do the job. They visit cocoa flowers - though rarely in large numbers. [4/]
Trichosalpinx (111 spp.; #Orchidaceae) are thought to be pollinated by midges (Forcipomyia spp; #Ceratopogonidae, #Diptera). These orchids have papillose, mobile lips & secrete proteins that attract female flies. Trichosalpinx chamaelepanthes. 📷: Luis Pérez CCBY2 #Botany #PlantScience 🌾🧪
January 29, 2024 at 5:36 PM
Trichosalpinx (111 spp.; #Orchidaceae) are thought to be pollinated by midges (Forcipomyia spp; #Ceratopogonidae, #Diptera). These orchids have papillose, mobile lips & secrete proteins that attract female flies. Trichosalpinx chamaelepanthes. 📷: Luis Pérez CCBY2 #Botany #PlantScience 🌾🧪
Update: syn Forcipomyia frutetorum? Looking into this now...
February 1, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Update: syn Forcipomyia frutetorum? Looking into this now...
Great shout out… thanks v much! And you’re absolutely correct, a Forcipomyia larva. People are finally starting to recognise them which is great. They’re super cool.
December 29, 2024 at 4:12 PM
Great shout out… thanks v much! And you’re absolutely correct, a Forcipomyia larva. People are finally starting to recognise them which is great. They’re super cool.
Four Spot Chaser from Ham Wall yesterday with some kind of fly on its wing. Doesn't look like the parasitic Forcipomyia paludis, any ideas? The fly isn't terribly sharp I'm afraid. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @britishbugs.bsky.social @uk-soldierflies.bsky.social
May 7, 2026 at 12:19 PM
Four Spot Chaser from Ham Wall yesterday with some kind of fly on its wing. Doesn't look like the parasitic Forcipomyia paludis, any ideas? The fly isn't terribly sharp I'm afraid. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @britishbugs.bsky.social @uk-soldierflies.bsky.social
Yesterday I was photographing bugs in the yard and I caught a green lacewing with something attached to its forewing. That something turns out to be Forcipomyia eques, a parasitic biting midge with only 5 observations worldwide on iNat, and zero in Canada. Pretty amazing!
July 4, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Yesterday I was photographing bugs in the yard and I caught a green lacewing with something attached to its forewing. That something turns out to be Forcipomyia eques, a parasitic biting midge with only 5 observations worldwide on iNat, and zero in Canada. Pretty amazing!