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Fly with a very long proboscis but doesn't look to me like a dancefly. Taken today South Coast UK body about 7mm long.
Thanks
Brian V.

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Hello Brian,
Please compare with http://www.dipter...ad_id=2398

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Thanks Black,
does look similar
Brian V.

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noooooooooooo, no, no, no, no Sorry, not Prosena siberita this time. This fly a tachinid but it is much smaller, no plumose arista and the proboscis is hinged - not straight. This looks like Siphona geniculata (or one of the other Siphona species - but they are very hard to split even with a specimen)

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Thanks Chris but just to show my complete ignorance what is/are plumose arista ?
Name seems very appropriate .
Brian V.

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Arista in the glossary ... and I think plumose is feather-like.

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crex is right ... the arista is a hair-like structure that points forward and down, emerging from the top of the 3rd antennal segment (usually the biggest bit). Plumose means 'plume or feather shaped'. Prosena has a very plumose arista, which is quite an unusual characteristic in the tachinids but Siphona have bare aristas. But the giveaway really is that Prosena has a long, rigid proboscis and Siphona has a proboscis bent into 3 clear sections

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Thanks again - gradually learning
Brian V.