photo through the microscope of Nymphomyia walkeri adults in copula: The photo shows two tiny little mating flies in the family Nymphomyiidae. These flies emerge as odd little winged flies, but then shed their wings and return to the water to mate and lay their eggs.
photo through the microscope of Nymphomyia walkeri larva: this is a tiny little fly, only a couple of mm long. Larvae are wormlike with little prolegs along the body and a well developed head.
photo through the microscope of a Nymphomyia walkeri pupa. This is a tiny fly, only a couple of mm long, and the pupal stage looks similar to chironomid pupae, with a wormlike shape and wings developing in external wing pads.
photo through the microscope of a Nymphomyia walkeri adult with wings still attached. This is a tiny fly, only a couple of mm long, and wings consist of a narrow central part that is heavily fringed. so they look very feathery.
Here are some images from sampling small stream in north-central New Brunswick, Canada (Catamaran Brook) (from a study a few decades back). Winged adult is from an emergence trap; larvae, pupae, and adults in copula from benthic sampling. #diptera #Nymphomyiidae
