Pachygaster atra

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Pachygaster atra (dark-winged black) is a very small European soldier fly.

- Size and look: body 2–3 mm long; shiny black with a round abdomen. Eyes black and green. Proboscis brown. Antennae brown in males; red in females (tip slightly yellow). Wings are dark.
- Habitat: lives in deciduous woodland and on leaves and bark of trees such as linden, pine, alder, and poplar, as well as hedge foliage.
- Larvae: found in decomposed elm wood, garden compost heaps, decaying vegetation, and leaf litter.
- Flight period: June to August.
- Distribution: common in Western Europe and across Central and Southern Europe, including parts of Russia and the Caucasus.