Warning, graphic fecal content

Shit happens, and as a dipterist who studies dung-feeding flies, it keeps me in business! But its not just micropezids that come into brown gold, many different families show up for the cheap, stinky meal!

Before we dive head first into the good stuff, I figured I’d include a poo-less tanypezid (family Tanypezidae) for those that might not enjoy the by-product of digestion!

Alright, no poo in sight yet, but these black scavenger flies (family Sepsidae) are taking a break from their dinner date and getting right to business! In fact, many of the flies associated with dung can be found mating nearby. Just be glad for even the nastiest of bars to mingle in…

This Plocoscelus sp. (family Micropezidae) is awaiting the appearance of some heavenly hash, just like all of you still reading!

We’re getting warmer here, but we’ve just missed the main event! This cactus fly (family Neriidae) was mopping up the final residues off this large leaf.

We’ll start small and work our way into the deep stuff! This Poecilotylus sp. is part of the Poecilotylus trifasciatus species group (family Micropezidae), which is in need of some taxonomic love, something for me to look forward to in the future!

Didn’t expect tephritoids in the mix eh? Well this Richardiidae was hanging in there and actively defending it’s little piece of “heaven” from larger micropezids with fierce head-butting feints!

There you have it! A fruit fly threw caution to the wind and dove right in to enjoy some “unsweetened” fruit! Monkey splatter was relatively easy to come across in the rainforest where we were staying, and made for excellent collecting (of the flies, not the dung).  Standing around steaming piles of dung isn’t what most people spend their time doing while in exotic locations, but as you can see, there are plenty of interesting flies to find!

Well, that finishes off the insects for this trip, but stay tuned tomorrow for some animals with 4 or fewer legs!