Bug FAQPicture-winged Fly
Physiphora alceae · Order: Diptera · Family: Ulidiidae
Physiphora alceae is found worldwide. Its larvae eat decaying plant and animal matter.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on decaying plant material. Larvae also consume decaying animal material.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The larval stage feeds on decaying plant and animal material.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is a cosmopolitan species.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 37 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Idaho, New York, Pennsylvania.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: introduced in North America; introduced in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Same family (Ulidiidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physiphora_alceae
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.