This is an interactive site for dipterists from all continents dealing with all aspects of dipterology (the study of Diptera: flies and midges) and dipterists. Here you can submit all your links to dipterological websites and events, post your dipterological queries in the forum, submit articles and news on Diptera, and contribute pictures for the Diptera Gallery. Submissions are open for members and members can contribute to the forums.
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Enjoy the site and keep helping to build it up to a significant entry point for dipterological research.
Thank you! This years donations so far covered 85% of the costs for the running the website this year. Such a pity the hosting company has to raise prices for some of the licenses on the site management software. :S We will manage. ;) [9 December 2019]
TZETZE (or TSETSE) FLY, n. An African insect (Glossina morsitans) whose bite is commonly regarded as nature's most efficacious remedy for insomnia, though some patients prefer that of the American novelist (Mendax interminabilis). -- Ambrose Bierce (The Devil's Dictionary)
Two exciting PhD positions are open at Staatliches Naturkundemuseum Stuttgart on integrative taxonomy of Diptera Sciaridae and Phoridae, part of the GBOL III: Dark Taxa project funded by Bundesministeriums für Bildung und Forschung. Details HERE.
Flower Flies of Northeastern North America
In mid-May this year, our Field Guide to the Flower Flies of Northeastern North America was published (https://press.princeton.edu/titles/14224.html). This book covers all syrphids found from Tennessee north to the high Arctic (including Greenland) and west to roughly the Mississippi River. All 413 known species from this region are included in the guide. In addition to providing identification information on the species, it includes many previously unpublished things (new synonyms, new combinations, undescribed species, DNA evidence for taxonomic decision making, etc.). The book includes many photos of each species (both lab and field photos), maps that include dots for the exact records as well as predictive ranges, silhouettes showing the actual size of the animals, ecological information, etc. There is also an extensive morphology section, glossary, checklist and bibliography.
It is published by Princeton and available from most book sellers (including Amazon, Indigo, Veldshop, Pemberly, etc.).
We hope that you enjoy it and help fill in the many gaps in our knowledge before a second edition.
Jeff
--
Jeff Skevington, Research Scientist
Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
German Diptera Meeting 2019
The 36th meeting of the German Diptera study group (AK DIPTERA) is going to take place from 31.05.2019 to 02.06.2019 in southwestern Germany, near the Danube Sinkhole near Tuttlingen (state of Baden-Württemberg). The meeting consists of a scientific symposium on Friday, a Diptera collecting field trip on Saturday, and an optional historic excursion on Sunday (castle Granegg and Beilstein cave). As the venue is located close to the FRENCH and SWISS border, we would be delighted to welcome some of our neighbouring colleagues! If you are interested to participate, send me a PM and I will send you an English version of the registration form with additional details.
Kind regards,
Christian
New book: The robberflies of Germany
Finally it is done! The nature guide "The robberflies of Germany" has just been published (in German language):
Many thanks to all of you, who contributed to this book with their faunistic data of asilid findings (pictures) from Germany.
Greetings,
Danny
Simuliid Bulletin Number 49
The Simuliid Bulletin Number 49 (January 2018) is now available for download at the usual site: simuliidbulletin.blogspot.co.uk. You find it by clicking on the link to go to the Simuliid Bulletin Archives.
The main article is an obituary for Dr. Roger Crosskey, but there is also an obiturary for Michael Service and a notice about the forthcoming Symposium in Birmingham.
Zeegerson 10 January 2020 21:01:51
Given the date and locality, this specimen has been reared from a greenhouse, right ? In that case, it could be several other species. The wing tip is darkened, highly conspicuous.
Leifon 11 December 2019 19:43:07
I wasn't notififed when you made your comment. If you have comments to other pictures of mine, please let me know.
The tail shrinks when out of water. I would like to insert two pictures, but don't know how to. View Photo Comment
Iain MacGowanon 23 September 2019 20:24:53
I don't think that this is Blera the tail is much too short - Blera larvae have very long breathing tubes similar to Myathropa View Photo Comment
von Tschirnhauson 04 December 2018 18:36:52
dear Tony, most females of Napomyza spp. cannot be identified to the species level including N. bellidis also if you have the papers of Zlobin 1993 and 1994 on the lateralis group available: Dipterological Research (St. Petersburg) 4(4): 225-235 and 5(1): 39-78. View Photo Comment
AaronSon 28 November 2018 03:26:51
Great find & photos in your series here!
Indeed, using the key on pg. 243 of Curran[1941] (PDF here), this cerioidine goes to Cerioides vittipes via the couplet sequence:
1) "Metasternum at least narrowly sub-membranous in the middle, usually very widely so" (Note: Although this character is not visible in your photos, the alternative choice of couplet 2) here leads to inconsistent results...in addition, only Polybiomyia have a "complete post-metacoxal bridge", but they all have a much shorter frontal prominence); 8) "Antennal process at least as long as the first antennal segment" ; 9) "Second abdominal segment strongly constricted" ; 10) "Abdomen reddish" ; 11) "First abdominal segment yellowish the basal half or more" (and this is not tricolor!) ; 12) "Dark markings of the head and thorax black"......vittipes
Your photos of this male from Peru are also in excellent agreement with the original description of the male of Cerioides vittipes from Peru on pg. 246 of Curran[1941].
Your photos form an excellent reference post for this distinctive and very beautiful cerioidine! View Photo Comment
jorgemotalmeidaon 21 October 2018 21:49:35
This is not P. melinoproctus. It should be a very rare variant of Platypygus ridibundus. Same for the same specimen in the remaining photos. We will need to collect this Platypygus to be completely sure. View Photo Comment
Hi! may I ask, why the soldierfly banner (https://www.dipte ra.info/images/sol dierfly-banner.png ) is so big (4790x870 Pixels, 1, 4 M ?
It always lasts minutes to load on a slow connection and costs a
If you experienced a very sluggish site recently, it may have been because someone tried to upload a maliciuous script by force. It appears to have failed. The visitor was blocked further access.
?
It always lasts minutes to load on a slow connection and costs a