Luckily for our identification efforts, this is a male Golden Dung Fly. They are a bit easier to identify than the grayer females since they are bright yellow or golden in color. These small flies have multiple generations a year and can be found from spring through the fall. The adults lay their eggs on dung, which the emerging larvae feed upon. After pupating and becoming an adult, their diet switches to preying on other fly species and insects.
Size: Adult body length 7 – 9 mm
Photos by: Connie Geiger on 9/8/22 in Helena, MT