Diptera.info

Posted by LordV on 19-03-2006 20:48

Thanks Nikita

didn't think the hairs around the bum were big enough for a Tachina sp. but nothing else close to it in my puny British insects book.
Brian V.

Posted by Susan R Walter on 20-03-2006 14:03

From my recent experiences in Essex, I agree - it will be one of the several species of Phaonia that have been emerging in the last couple of months here. The wretched things are the dipteran equivalent of LBJs in the birding world. I caught yet another species this weekend which will no doubt end up on this forum after I have gnashed my teeth at it for a suitable period and not come to a conclusion about species name. I get Tachina fera as well, but it is very much a summer species and looks about twice the size as Phaonia - much bigger and fatter (and hairier).

Posted by Kahis on 20-03-2006 17:34

Susan R Walter wrote:
From my recent experiences in Essex, I agree - it will be one of the several species of Phaonia that have been emerging in the last couple of months here. The wretched things are the dipteran equivalent of LBJs in the birding world. I caught yet another species this weekend which will no doubt end up on this forum after I have gnashed my teeth at it for a suitable period and not come to a conclusion about species name. I get Tachina fera as well, but it is very much a summer species and looks about twice the size as Phaonia - much bigger and fatter (and hairier).

From your description and the time of year, I'd guess you have found a Gonia (Tachinidae). I checked a few relevant images found by a Google image search; they were (an almost unique occurence) correctly determined.

Posted by Zeegers on 20-03-2006 17:57

It's a bit early, even for Gonia, though it could be G. ornata.
But let's start with the family, since Muscidae is more likely:

Does vein M have a clear bent in the apical half of the wing ?

If not, you have a Muscidae (or Anthomyiidae).

Theo

Posted by Susan R Walter on 23-03-2006 14:37

Kahis, Theo

I can't bear it!

Don't tell me I've been sucked in too, again, by the generalist guides! But are you sure my tachinids are going to be Gonia? They don't have the smacked in the face look of Gonia and do have yellow wing bases. They appear in my local cemetery park in numbers from May to September. I must admit I never captured one, I was just observing in the field last year, and I didn't have a key for tachinids. This year I have a key for the European species, so might make some progress.

Brian - sorry for sidetracking the discussion somewhat from your pic, but I guess you get much the same species as me, so might also like to know the answer to this question as well.

Posted by Kahis on 23-03-2006 16:19

Don't panic. If it does not match Gonia, then it isn't Gonia

Without a photo we may not be able to say much more.

"...the smacked in the face look of Gonia"

Can't argue with that description.

Edited by Kahis on 23-03-2006 16:20