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Photographed today in hot, sandy habitat near Rome, Italy, length about 8 mm, very restless, never stayed still for a second . Could it be a Conopidae?







Thanks, Sarah.

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Looks like it, but you had your doubts, apperently, and with good reason !
The wing venation is different and the puffy head is missing.
This is a Tachinidae of the subfamily Phasiinae (the 'peculiar-and-pretty Tachinidae with hosts in Hemiptera):
Cylindromyia rufipes.

Beautiful fly and beautiful pictures.

Thanks

Theo Zeegers

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Almost in real time, thanks Theo. In fact, now I look at it with different eyes, it does look very Tachinidae-ish , Sarah.

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Tachinidae fly mimics a conopidae fly??? Why?

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The tachind is not mimicking a conopid - the tachinid and conopids both mimic wasps.
Stunning pics, Sarah!

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Very interesting tachinid. I would have mistaken, at first, on ID.

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Thanks to you all, Sarah.