Diptera.info

Posted by Gordon Jar on 04-06-2006 14:51

This was photographed in my garden South East England on 03/06/06.

I won't attempt to id the family.

Thanks
Gordon

Posted by Zeegers on 04-06-2006 20:37

It does ring a bell.

Could you indicate the size ?

Any change of seeing the hind tibia ?

Thank

Theo Zeegers

Posted by Gordon Jar on 04-06-2006 21:01

Theo,

Sorry I had meant to send this picture together with the others but somehow it got missed out.

I suppose it was approximately 12-15 mm but I cannot give an accurate measurement.

Regards

Gordon

Posted by Zeegers on 05-06-2006 09:28

Right !
These are not the same species !
Last one is Trixa

The first one, if it were from central Europe, I would have not hestitated to ID it as Blepharipa pratensis.
There is, however, one problem:
This species has not been recorded from UK so far (is it, Chris ?)

Therefore, I want to be perfectly sure.

Any more information would be appriciated !

Theo

Posted by ChrisR on 05-06-2006 10:03

We have't had Blepharipa pratensis in mainland UK yet but it has been recorded in Guernsey - but Blepharipa schineri has been taken a few times over the last few years - but rarely.

Either record would be very exciting - and would highlight the importance of taking specimens for 100% determination ;)

Gordon - any chance you could send me the originals to look at more closely? Would be nice to include them on the website too, whatever they turn out to be :)

Edited by ChrisR on 05-06-2006 10:17

Posted by Gordon Jar on 05-06-2006 10:28

:(
It seems I have made a mistake with the photos. I have sorted it now. (I hope)

Do these show sufficient.

regards Gordon

Posted by Gordon Jar on 05-06-2006 10:37

Final one

Chris I will send you the originals.

Regards (red faced) Gordon

Posted by ChrisR on 05-06-2006 11:09

#10

Wow - lovely fly - i particularly like the way the abdomen is mainly just hairy but with a pronounced tuft of bristles on the last segment. Theo - is this feature characteristic of all Blepharipa spp.?

From Tschorsnig's Central European key it looks like it would be B.schineri, which is not as exciting as pratensis but is still a very rare fly. Good work Gordon :)

Edited by ChrisR on 05-06-2006 11:12

Posted by Zeegers on 05-06-2006 11:29

#11

Oke, I'm confident it is Blepharipa.
Chris points correctly out, there are two very similar species: pratensis and schineri.
Schineri has reddish parts on tergites and lacks marginal setae on T2 and T3 (which are, by the way, first and second VISIBLE tergites).

I do see marginals on T3, though small (have a good look !) and I don't see any reddish on the tergites.

If all of this is correct, I can congratulate you with Blepharipa pratensis.
Which is, by the way, the less rare of the two.

Has it been collected ?

Theo

Posted by Gordon Jar on 05-06-2006 19:17

#12

Theo,

I believe this enlarged photo shows the 'marginal setae' you are refering to. For my education am I looking in the right place.

I don't take specimens as I do not have the facilities to examine or keep them.

Many thanks

Regards

Gordon

Edited by Gordon Jar on 05-06-2006 19:23

Posted by ChrisR on 14-06-2006 15:52

#13

Last night I emailed Peter Tschorsnig in Stuttgart with some of the Blepharipa photos to get his opinion. This is what he said today:

The specimen on the photo should be a female of Blepharipa schineri (which is already known from UK). Median marginal bristles on tergites 1+2 and 3 are obviously missing, and the posterior margin of the tergites seems to be darker, both features of B. schineri.

So, it's a good record - but not a first :)

Posted by Zeegers on 16-06-2006 08:10

#15

Well, that is settled then.
You guys still need to find pratensis.
We in NL have them around oaks in city parks. Good luck

Theo