Rainieria antennaepes

Rainieria antennaepes

''Rainieria antennaepes'' is a species of stilt-legged flies in the family Micropezidae found in North America east of the Rocky Mountains. The name "antennaepes" means "antenna foot". They frequently hold their white-tipped front legs up and wave them around in a manner that makes them appear like the antennae of ichneumonid wasps.
Stilt-Legged Fly (Rainieria antennaepes) On foliage at a dense mixed forest edge. The species name "antennaepes" translates to "antenna foot." Rainieria antennaepes is an effective ichneumonid wasp mimic, often holding up its front two legs and waving them as if they were antennae. You can really see the similarity here when comparing these two observations: Christine Young's Mesostenus thoracicus https://www.jungledragon.com/image/66469/ichneumon_wasp_-_mesostenus_thoracicus.html Geotagged,Rainieria antennaepes,Summer,United States

Naming

''Rainieria antennaepes'' is the only member of its genus found in North America.
Stilt-Legged Fly (Rainieria antennaepes) At a disturbed forest edge. The species name "antennaepes" translates to "antenna foot." Rainieria antennaepes is an effective ichneumonid wasp mimic, often holding up its front two legs and waving them as if they were antennae. Geotagged,Rainieria antennaepes,Summer,United States

Food

They feed on detritus, bird droppings, and similar waste.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderDiptera
FamilyMicropezidae
GenusRainieria
SpeciesR. antennaepes
Photographed in
United States of America