These flies mainly inhabit hedge rows, meadows and wet meadows, especially along the rivers.[6]
Description
Side view
Empis ciliata can reach a length of 9.5–12.2 millimetres (0.37–0.48 in) in males, of 9–13 millimetres (0.35–0.51 in) in females. The wing length of males reaches 9–10.5 millimetres (0.35–0.41 in), while in females reach 9.3–11.5 millimetres (0.37–0.45 in).[6]
These flies have shining black body, head, antennae and legs. Halteres are black and metapleural bristles are partly whitish. The base of the abdomen has whitish hairs.[7] The legs are very hairy, with brush-like thighs especially in the females. The wings are long, robust, very dark brown or black. They have a long black sucking snout pointed downwards, used to suck their food.[8]
This species is rather similar to Empis tessellata, but the latter is bigger and has brown-yellowish wings.[8]
Joachim Haupt, Hiroko Haupt: Fliegen und Mücken. Beobachtung, Lebensweise. 1. Auflage. Naturbuch-Verlag, Jena und Stuttgart 1995, ISBN3-89440-278-4.
Collin, J.E. (1961). British Flies VI: Empididae Part 2: Hybotinae, Empidinae (except Hilara) 4. Cambridge: Cambridge UP. tr. 329.
Chandler, Peter J. (1998). Checklists of Insects of the British Isles (New Series) Part 1: Diptera. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. New Series 12 (1) (London: Royal Entomological Society of London). tr. 234. ISBN0-901546-82-8