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part II, two observations - same species? - but which one?

Austria / Tirol: Nauders, Martawald, 1100m, VII.2006






and another specimen VIII.2005:

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Polietes lardarius? But it's early morning here. I'll try for another look later. Robert

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Hi Robert,


you got fooled. Look at the wing venation.
It a Tachinid, agreed, rather atypical, from the subfamily Dexiinae, tribe Dexiini.
These are (I'm so sorry, Frank) parasitoids of Coleoptera, in this case Cerambycidae. The species is Billaea triangulifera, as well illustrated by this pictures (triangular spots on tergite).
Definitely not common.
My guess from experience in Estonia: parasitic in Monochamus larvae.
But this is just a long shot.


Theo Zeegers

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Thank you very much, Theo!
Dishonor over this fly - coleopterologists don?t like beetle eating birds and now this fly should be added to our black list
Monochamus sutor is very common in the Picea forests - photo of a female attached.
Best regards
Frank