Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Tachinidae➡️ Sturmia bella female
#1
Hi! I have hatched this out from the caterpillar of Abrostola triplasia, in Hungary. I started to key this out, and it was really hard, but finally i got Lydella, but really doubtfully. This species has just 3 humeral bristles, while Lydella has four.. Could you help me please? Which species is this?
Posted by
Zeegers on 08-05-2023 07:02
#13
Thanks for the good illustrations and nice you have a host.
The apical scutellars are not erect, so it can’t be Lydella.
Given the host, Nilea might be an option ?
Theo
#14
Thank you, Theo! The only thing, why I didn’t think that this is Nilea, was the character about cheek bristles. There are these bristles, what i marked: or isn’t this even the cheek, this is a part of the frons? I can’t understand really where the line is between these two. Could you please explain this to me? You could help me a lot with this.
Posted by
Zeegers on 08-05-2023 16:51
#15
Theo more I look at it, the more it looks like Sturmia.
wWhcih is typically in Nymphalidae.
When was it reared ?
Theo
#16
Thanks! Unfortunately I don’t know much about the date, but maybe in summer. And the bristles what i marked with red stripes are the bristles of the cheek ot the frons? Could you help me please?
Posted by
Zeegers on 08-05-2023 16:59
#17
I am not sure which feature you are refering to. These setulae are on parafrontalia or just oarafacialia. The “chee” is ususally used for gena, ie. the oart below the eye.
Theo
#18
When in doubt about small hairs near the lowest frontal bristles, consider the parafacial bare. In a few species strong parafacial bristles are in line with the frontal bristles. In these cases the parafacial bristles point down and the frontal bristles point up. Look at
Voria ruralis to see what I mean.
#19
Zeegers wrote:
I am not sure which feature you are refering to. These setulae are on parafrontalia or just oarafacialia. The “chee” is ususally used for gena, ie. the oart below the eye.
Theo
The English translation of the key to the Tachinidae of Central Europe uses "cheek" to mean "parafacial".
Posted by
Zeegers on 08-05-2023 21:15
#20
Well, if they do, that is most confusing!
As John pointed out, parafacial is bare here. For hairy parafacial, check Smidtia or Winthemia in the gallery