Posted by
pierred on 01-07-2009 07:01
#1
Hello,
While looking for Coleoptera living with ants, one member of our french forum found those Diptera larvae :
Calmont B. : France : 22/6/2009 : Sain-Julien du Gua : 07
altitude non renseignée - taille : 20 mm
ref:46758
Calmont B. : France : 22/6/2009 : Sain-Julien du Gua : 07
altitude non renseignée - taille : 20 mm
ref:46759
As the larva was trying to leave the nest, the ants brought it back.
Any clues ?
Somebody proposed a Volucella larva, but they are noted to be hosts of bumblebee and wasp nests. Not of ant nests.
Edited by
pierred on 02-07-2009 06:10
Posted by
pierred on 01-07-2009 18:31
#2
Hello,
Another solution was proposed with
Clitellaria ephippium, which is recorded as a parasit living in ant nests.
Does this ring a bell?
Edited by
pierred on 02-07-2009 06:11
#4
it's definitely not a stratiomyd, for it has no leathery skin. As I'm only an aquatic larvae expert this terrestrial larva looks a bit like a Sciomyzidae or a Muscidae. But perhaps maybe also something like a Phoridae or any other Cyclorrhapha. For instance, it is know that some Phoridae larvae parasitize trhe pupae of Formica (Aenigmatias) or are parasitoids of adult worker ants (Pseudacteon) (see Smith, K.G.V. 1989, immature stages of British flies)
