Salt marsh entomologist blog: More flies....and spiders

Today, May 24, the flies still dominate the insect life on the salt marsh just awakening from the winter slumber. Swarms of biting midges (Ceratopogonidae) were whirling around among the salt marsh hay stalks. Contrary to the name, this particular species is not interested in drawing blood from the nearest human victim. Unlike their close cousins, the vicious no-see-ums (Culicoides), the biting midges from the genus Dasyhelea do not take blood. In fact, they feed on nectar and some are very important pollinators of cacao and other trees in the tropics. Many US salt marsh species were originally described from Long Island by a famous National Museum of Natural History entomologist W.W. Wirth. These flies are tiny and most people simply overlook the little critters.

Dasyhelea (Ceratopogonidae) sp, male (bushy antenna) and female (large abdomen)

Another interesting, dramatic, and minute fly enjoying a view from an Iva branch

Strange as it sounds, mosquitoes also belong to that venerable fly family. The feared eastern saltmarsh mosquito (Aedes sollicitans) has yet to to impose its presence on the suburban wilderness. The marsh conditions have been uncooperative - either too dry or too wet. However, its less formidable relative, the brown saltmarsh mosquito (Aedes cantator) inhabits mostly the upper parts of the marsh, and a minor brood emerged following the recent heavy rains. This member of the happy Aedes family is not only more drab than the flashy sollicitans, but less bold and bothersome biting mostly at dusk. Certainly, Aedes cantator does not have the bulldog determination of its cousin.

Brown saltmarsh mosquito (Aedes cantator) female

Male of the same species with bushy antenna

In the arthropod world, predators always follow the prey. Who can resist all of those juicy flying morsels? Certainly not spiders - the most ubiquitous and important consumers of the salt marsh insect bounty. Some lurk among the stalks of the cordgrass