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Nematocera

Common name:

Mosquitoes, crane flies, gnats, black flies

Distribution:

Distributed from the coldest areas, close to the Poles, to the tropical belts and equator, including the desert zones

Habitat:

Humid habitats

Diet:

Adults will feed on nectar. Larvae will feed on decaying materials, but sometimes also animal feces and rotting wood. Many feeds on different types and stages of fungi.

Number of species globally

3,600

Number of species in Hong Kong :

2,686

Morphology
(how to recognize them) :

-Thin, segmented antennae
-Mostly aquatic larvae
-The bodies and legs of most adult Nematocera are elongated, and many species have relatively long abdomens.

Diagram

Did you know ?

Males of many species form mating swarms competing for females that visit the cloud of males to find a mate.

Gallery

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