Crepuscular Mating Aggregations in Certain Ormia1 and Sitophaga1

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Abstract
The tachinid species Ormia dominicana, Ormia lineifrons, and Sitophaga aurigera were observed to aggregate atop 2 towers in central Florida shortly after sunset. The activity period for each species was brief, and that of O. dominicana was temporally separated from that of S. aurigera. Aggregations occasionally exceeded 100 individuals of a species and were predominantly composed of males. Although no matings were seen, it is presumed that this behavior facilitates mating. The behavior of these flies was typical of insects at a waiting station. Eucelatoria rubentis and the anthomyiids Pegomyia affinis and Pegomyia gopheri were occasionally collected from the towers.