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Flat-footed Flies and the Big-eyed Flies

(Families Platypezidae and Pipunculidae.)

The flies of both of these families are common looking little creatures and most uninteresting in appearance to the general observer. The flies of the family Platypezidae have been called "flat-footed flies." It is a small family of little flies which are also found in shady places. The hind feet of many males are very broad and flat from which comes the name of the family, The larvae live between the gills of toad stools.

The members of the last named group are called by Comstock "the big-eyed flies" for the reason that they have very large heads which seem to be composed almost entirely of eyes. They are found in shady places and their larvae so far as known are parasitic within the bodies of leaf-hoppers. The pupa is said to resemble that of one of the Syrphus flies.