Scatopsids are a well established group and fossils are known from amber deposits dating back to the Cretaceous period.

[2] The larvae are dorsoventrally flattened with an exerted head capsule, meaning it cannot be retracted.

[4] The life cycle take 3–4 weeks to complete in the common species Coboldia fuscipes and S. notata.

There are even some Scatopsinae which are aquatic, living in forest springs and presumably feeding on waterlogged dead leaves.

[5] Scatopsidae may form swarms of up to thousands of individuals, sometimes including several species at once, possibly for reproduction.

One species, Thripomorpha halterata, has been observed doing rhythmic wing movements while swarming, which may be a courtship behaviour.

[4] The family name Scatopsidae literally translates to "looks like feces" (from Greek skat "dung" and opsi "appearance").