Stats

Lifespan: A few weeks
Size: Small
Diet: Herbivore
Activity: Diurnal
Social: Solitary
Biome: Temperate woodland
Range: Worldwide
Movement: Flight
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Warning Colors
Status: Uncommon

About

Leafwalkers are famous for scurrying quickly across sunlit leaves on their long legs, looking more like they are running than flying. These gentle forest flies are harmless mimics that spend their days visiting flowers and helping the woodland ecosystem stay healthy.

Life cycle

1.
egg
A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2.
juvenile
An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3.
subadult
A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4.
adult
Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Syrphidae
Genus: Xylota