Posted by eguzki on 30-04-2008 17:15
#1
Location: Hungary
Habitat: pot-garden
Size: Medium
Date: 2008-04-30
Hello dipterafriends!
It landed on the leaf of red currant. Any idea about the species? Thank you in advance.
Posted by Susan R Walter on 30-04-2008 22:32
#3
I would guess that this is Onesia austriaca, based on Gabor's experience and the appearance of this fly.
I have been trawling through the Calliphorid pictures on the forum, trying to make sense of them, and I notice some trends. Flies like this that are female tend to get tentatively identified as Onesia. The males photographed tend to be more brightly metallic and less dusted and they tend to get called Bellardia. If they look more Muscid like, they get called Melinda. I also suspect that we have more pictures of Phormia regina on the forum than previously realised too.
It may be that Onesia is right for these very dull dusted Calliphorids with the very wide frons, and Bellardia right for the brighter flies, but having trawled I am now confident that I cannot confidently separate Onesia and Bellardia from photos - I just cannot distinguish the ia bristles in photos well enough. I'm also at a disadvantage with Onesia because it doesn't occur in Britain, so I haven't got any specimens to look at.
Posted by eguzki on 01-05-2008 10:22
#4
Hello Susan!
Thank you very much for your comprehensive explanation. These flies are smaller and duller than
Calliphora vicina and appear everywhere in my garden and around my house, so it seems to be that it is very common here.