Black Snipe Fly

The male Snipe Fly has a hairy brown abdomen, whereas the female has a hairy cream cooured abdomen. Both sexes have a dark mark on the outside of each wing and both male and female abdomen hairs wear off with age. The tail end of their abdomens is quite pointed and can curve underneath their bodies.

They can be seen from May to July in damp shady places, such as wet grassland, damp meadows and woodland and they are also found around ponds.

The Black Snipe Fly is carnivorous and catches smaller insects in flight, taking them back to a perching spot to eat. The larvae live in leaf litter and predate smaller insects like springtails and thrips.

It is said that Snipe Flies got their common name because they frequent the same kind of habitat as the Snipe.

Fairly common and widespread in Britain.