Drain Fly (Clogmia albipunctata)

I decided to take a closer look at an plastic bowl I'd left in the garden to fill naturally with water and debris a few months ago, just to see what might have colonised it.

In the bowl were several types of larvae thrashing around, which could be a number of species including mosquito larvae or perhaps the larvae of this Drain fly/Moth fly/Owl midge, etc. etc. which I found perched on a leaf in very close proximity, looking fairly fresh?

Belonging to the 'True fly' family 'Psychodidae', flies with a large number of common names, C albipuntata is one that can be found in drains, bathrooms, sewers and sewers treatment facitlities. Almost, in fact any shallow pool of water.

Mostly nocturnal, I would never have found this specimen had I not been sitting very close by observing the bowl of water described above.

A common species, nevertheless it's unlikely to be noticed causually or individually, until a swarm is disturbed.

The wings of Drain flies have the most elementary venation of any Diptera species, having little more than a series of parallel veins without crossveins.

Adults live for approx. 12 days, sustaining themselves on water and a little flower nectar, breeding only once.