Phenology and Distribution of Aquatic Dance Flies (Diptera: Empididae) in a Laurentian Watershed

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Abstract
Adult dance flies were collected from emergence traps (73 trap-years) and with a beating net in 1972-1974 and in 1978 in 8 mainstream stations, 13 tributaries and 6 lakes of a Laurentian watershed. Some 2670 specimens were identified belonging to 18 spp., 8 of which are new records for Quebec [Canada] [Chelipoda contracta Melander, C. praestans Melander, Chelifera banksi Melander, C. obsoleta Loew, Hemerodromia captus Coquillett, H. melanosoma Melander, H. vittata Loew and Thanategia defecta Loew]. Except for the early-emerging Clinocera fuscipennis Loew (May) and the late-appearing Thanategia defecta (Aug.), the dance flies are summer species. H. empiformis (Say) has a bimodal emergence and may have 2 generations/year; the other species appear to be univoltine. There is a rapid succession in the appearance of species in June; the males are relatively short-lived; the females often persist throughout the summer. H. captus is lentic, occurring in 2 of the lakes; H. melanosoma, though predominantly lotic, also inhabits 1 of the lakes, and all the other species are restricted to lotic habitats. The species of Chelipoda, Chelifera and Thanategia are more or less confined to small headwater streams, while those of Hemerodromia, Neoplasta and Roederiodes typically inhabit the mainstream and the larger tributaries. Most of the mainstream species seem to prefer fast waters on a substrate of moss and rubble, though individual species differ in their stenotopy. Other species discussed are Chelipoda elongata Melander, Chelifera palloris Coquillett, H. chillcotti Harper, H. rogatoris Coquillett, Neoplasta scapularis Loew, Clinocera sp., Roederiodes junctus Coquillet and R. recurvatus Chillcott.

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