Phantom midges
Scientific name: Chaoboridae
Phantom midges
Scientific name: Chaoboridae
Description
The larvae are nearly transparent, sometimes with a slightly yellow cast; their most opaque features are two air bags, one in the thorax, one in the abdomen about in the second last segment. The adults are delicate flies that closely resemble Chironomidae. Their antennae are 15-segmented and the females' antennae are somewhat bristly; the males' antennae in contrast, are very plumose. In this respect too they resemble many of the Nematocera, and in particular the Chironomidae. The species vary in size from about 2 mm to 1 cm long in their adult stages.