Diptera.info

Posted by Gordon Jar on 04-06-2006 14:51

This was photographed in my garden South East England on 03/06/06.

I won't attempt to id the family.

Thanks
Gordon

Posted by Zeegers on 04-06-2006 20:37

It does ring a bell.

Could you indicate the size ?

Any change of seeing the hind tibia ?

Thank

Theo Zeegers

Posted by Gordon Jar on 04-06-2006 21:01

Theo,

Sorry I had meant to send this picture together with the others but somehow it got missed out.

I suppose it was approximately 12-15 mm but I cannot give an accurate measurement.

Regards

Gordon

Posted by Zeegers on 05-06-2006 09:28

Right !
These are not the same species !
Last one is Trixa

The first one, if it were from central Europe, I would have not hestitated to ID it as Blepharipa pratensis.
There is, however, one problem:
This species has not been recorded from UK so far (is it, Chris ?)

Therefore, I want to be perfectly sure.

Any more information would be appriciated !

Theo

Posted by ChrisR on 05-06-2006 10:03

We have't had Blepharipa pratensis in mainland UK yet but it has been recorded in Guernsey - but Blepharipa schineri has been taken a few times over the last few years - but rarely.

Either record would be very exciting - and would highlight the importance of taking specimens for 100% determination

Gordon - any chance you could send me the originals to look at more closely? Would be nice to include them on the website too, whatever they turn out to be

Edited by ChrisR on 05-06-2006 10:17

Posted by Gordon Jar on 05-06-2006 10:28

It seems I have made a mistake with the photos. I have sorted it now. (I hope)

Do these show sufficient.

regards Gordon

Posted by Gordon Jar on 05-06-2006 10:37

Final one

Chris I will send you the originals.

Regards (red faced) Gordon

Posted by ChrisR on 05-06-2006 11:09

#10

Wow - lovely fly - i particularly like the way the abdomen is mainly just hairy but with a pronounced tuft of bristles on the last segment. Theo - is this feature characteristic of all Blepharipa spp.?

From Tschorsnig's Central European key it looks like it would be B.schineri, which is not as exciting as pratensis but is still a very rare fly. Good work Gordon

Edited by ChrisR on 05-06-2006 11:12

Posted by Zeegers on 05-06-2006 11:29

#11

Oke, I'm confident it is Blepharipa.
Chris points correctly out, there are two very similar species: pratensis and schineri.
Schineri has reddish parts on tergites and lacks marginal setae on T2 and T3 (which are, by the way, first and second VISIBLE tergites).

I do see marginals on T3, though small (have a good look !) and I don't see any reddish on the tergites.

If all of this is correct, I can congratulate you with Blepharipa pratensis.
Which is, by the way, the less rare of the two.

Has it been collected ?

Theo

Posted by Gordon Jar on 05-06-2006 19:17

#12

Theo,

I believe this enlarged photo shows the 'marginal setae' you are refering to. For my education am I looking in the right place.

I don't take specimens as I do not have the facilities to examine or keep them.

Many thanks

Regards

Gordon

Edited by Gordon Jar on 05-06-2006 19:23

Posted by ChrisR on 14-06-2006 15:52

#13

Last night I emailed Peter Tschorsnig in Stuttgart with some of the Blepharipa photos to get his opinion. This is what he said today:

The specimen on the photo should be a female of Blepharipa schineri (which is already known from UK). Median marginal bristles on tergites 1+2 and 3 are obviously missing, and the posterior margin of the tergites seems to be darker, both features of B. schineri.

So, it's a good record - but not a first

Posted by Zeegers on 16-06-2006 08:10

#15

Well, that is settled then.
You guys still need to find pratensis.
We in NL have them around oaks in city parks. Good luck

Theo