Which family is commonly known as midges?

• A. Chironomidae
• B. Muscidae
• C. Asilidae
• D. Tephritidae

Answer: (A)

Midges refer to tiny, delicate flies that are especially common around water, and the family most people mean when they say “midges” is Chironomidae. They are typically non-biting, unlike mosquitoes, and their larvae live in aquatic environments, with many having hemoglobin-like proteins that give some larvae a red color and help them cope with low-oxygen water (these larvae are often called bloodworms). Adults look slender and swarms are a familiar sight near lakes and streams, forming an important food source for many other organisms.

The other families listed are not midges: Muscidae includes houseflies, which are larger and feed on decaying matter; Asilidae are robber flies, predatory with a stout body; Tephritidae are fruit flies, usually with distinctive wing patterns and associations with plants.