The Delhi Sands flower-loving fly (Rhaphiomidas terminatus abdominalis) is the only fly listed as endangered under--and thus protected by--the Unites States Endangered Species Act.
Photo by Guy Bruyea
On September 10, 2004, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Resources held a field hearing in Fontana, California with the ostensible purpose of gauging public support for the endangered Delhi Sands Flower Loving Fly. Despite their official-sounding title, this "hearing" was not the Congressional fact-finding missions that it was touted to be. Almost all of the invited speakers were against the Endangered Species Act and believe development should take precedence over protecting habitat. Several of the speakers regularly attended other meetings carrying large fly swatters.
The fly has been blamed for halting development projects in San Bernadino County, California. However, the facts show that few developments have been stopped. Furthermore, protecting the fly's habitat preserves important open space that also hosts a variety of California's native birds and other wildlife habitat in this fast-growing region - the open space that so many people moved to this area to enjoy.
Click here to return to the Delhi Sands fly page.