Phoridae is a family that contains insects, commonly known as coffin flies. They are referred to as ‘coffin flies’ due to their abundance in decaying corpses. Phorid flies are characteristically hump-backed in appearance and are known to run instead of fly.

Art and fact by Allen Chew, Instagram & Twitter @toldentops

[Image and text edited by Nicole Rodrigues]

Reference:

Colyer, C.N. (1954) The ‘coffin fly’, Conicera tibialis Schmitz (Dipt., Phoridae). Journal of the Society for British Entomology, 4, 203–206.