Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Sepsidae with bubble. -> Sepsis cynipsea ?

Posted by Ray Perry on 20-10-2017 16:23
#1

5-7mm long - garden, Flensburg, Germany.
On an old radish plant which keeps on flowering even though it has some mature seed pods. There were 5 to 10 Sepsidae on the plant. Most were fairly active, running around and flying from one leaf or flower to the next. This one, however, was comparatively passive. I photographed it between 15.05pm and 15.34pm. In all this time it had a bubble at it's mouth and remained in the vicinity of one flower; at first on the petal, then onto the flower stem where it excreted liquid from it's abdomen and it wiped of with it's hind legs, then it wiped/massaged it's thorax and wings then returned to the petals.

Video of it wiping off the rear droplets and it's wing:-
https://www.youtu...qlyGqueB9w

Edited by Ray Perry on 21-10-2017 14:28

Posted by Paul Beuk on 20-10-2017 16:38
#2

Sepsis sp. Nice account. Smile

Posted by Steve Crellin on 20-10-2017 16:42
#3

The last photo hints at a notched fore tibia so it might just be S. cynipsea. Would it be possible to enlarge the area around that leg?

Posted by Ray Perry on 20-10-2017 20:48
#4

Thanks Steve. Here's a good image of the legs, taken at 15.09pm.
Does this show the notch you're talking about?
Does the notch also imply that it's a male?

Edited by Ray Perry on 20-10-2017 22:03

Posted by Ray Perry on 20-10-2017 20:59
#5

and here is an enlargement of the last from my row of images.
Taken at 15.06pm

It was good spotting on your part SteveTumbsUp

Thank You very much.
Ray

Posted by Ray Perry on 20-10-2017 21:54
#6

Sepsidnet has an excellent image showing the notched fore tibia of Sepsis cynipsea:-
http://sepsidnet-...ipsea.html

Posted by Steve Crellin on 21-10-2017 09:30
#7

Thanks Ray, cynipsea looks likely with this one.