ABSTRACT
One family of flies, the Sciomyzidae, is noted for the development of the larvae of some of its species inside of the shells of living snails or occasionally other invertebrates, while the victim goes about its daily activities until the very end of the relationship. Discussions of whether the fly larva is a scavenger or a parasitoid almost always end favoring parasitoid. Apparently, all species that have been studied can be described as parasitoids or predators. The search for a solution to the self-created emergency was the search for a method of biological control for the snails. Photinus is not the only genus in the family Lampyridae with aquatic species that feed on freshwater snails. The larvae of Luciola leii develop in small, shallow water bodies, including rice fields, so they could be considered beneficial agents of biological control of snails that feed on aquatic crops.
