Sand Fly

Spiriverpa lunulata

Appearance

Sand Fly
  • Adult — 10–11mm. The body has a pale grey colour, eyes are bronze–brown, and legs are dark reddish–brown.

Lifecycle

  • Adults are seen from April to September.
  • The larvae can take up to two years to develop and live in loose sand.
  • In the pupal stage the larvae curls into a circle or “u” shape lasting one or two weeks.

Habits

  • Adults live on sandy riverbanks with an open habitat free of shading trees.
  • The larvae of stiletto flies are active soil predators.