DANCE FLY

any insect of the family Empididae (order Diptera), named for their movements while in flight. Dance flies are small with a proportionately large thorax and a long tapering abdomen, which in males usually bears conspicuous genitalia at the posterior end. Courtship involves the presentation of a dead fly to the female by the male. Mating does not take place until the female accepts the fly and sucks its juices. The adults usually inhabit moist regions and feed on smaller insects; the larvae occur in soil, water, or decaying plant material and also feed on insects.