1 Canterbury Museum, Rolleston Avenue, Christchurch
Arguably the most interesting family of flies, Acroceridae are very rarely collected. There are ten described species in New Zealand and three new species requiring descriptions. All acrocerids are parasitoids and only parasitise spiders. Acrocerids have a fascinating biology, which I will discuss. The capture of specimens is best done by collecting adults as they emerge from their spider hosts. Some acrocerid species readily visit flowers, where they can also be caught. It is my intention to revise the New Zealand Acroceridae, but this project will have a long duration as I want to sample DNA from each species and examine adults from each of the species. I appeal to my fellow entomologists to be on the lookout for these wonderful insects.