Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Stratiomyidae pupa from ant's nest, Hungary

Posted by pwalter on 12-04-2009 15:59
#1

Hi, this pupa was under a stone where an ant species made it's nest. Around 9 mm long. April, NE Hungary

Posted by caliprobola on 12-04-2009 16:11
#2

Clitellaria ephippium is the only NW-European soldier fly of which larvae live in ants' nests as far as i know, i don't know if there are other species in Central-Europe that have the same kind of ecology.

Posted by pwalter on 12-04-2009 16:15
#3

Thank You! And hat if it was only accidentally under the rock? Or is that unlikely because ant's would have eaten any other pupa?

Posted by caliprobola on 12-04-2009 20:36
#4

I'm not an expert at all in soldier flies nor their larvae but i think most larvae that live in the ground, live in rather moist conditions where there's a lot of organic material.
The pupa looks rather typical, as Clitellaria is a real specialist living in ants' nests i guess there should be some literature describing the larva and/or pupa.

Posted by Tony Irwin on 12-04-2009 22:10
#5

I don't think this is Clitellaria - the shape of the last segment is not right. I think it us more likely to be Chloromyia or a similar species. Remember that Stratiomyiidae are like many other flies - the pupa is actually formed within the last larval skin - the puparium, so features of the last instar larva are usually visible on the puparium.

Posted by atylotus on 29-05-2009 15:10
#6

It can't be Clitellaria as Rozkozny (1973) gives a lenght of 25-32 mm for the mature larvae. It looks more like a Pachygasterinae or Sarginae (in this case Microchrysa or Chloromyia, not Sargus)

Posted by pwalter on 18-06-2009 22:20
#7

Hi, this larva became adult, I show photos in adult forum.

Edited by pwalter on 18-06-2009 22:25

Posted by Tony Irwin on 20-06-2009 12:53
#8

Good to have a result - you could post this in the gallery now!