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The attached was photographed on 11/07/06 in South East England.

Initially I thought it was Anthomyia pluvialis but when viewing the photo I saw that the markings did not match any photos I have of A.pluvialis.

Is this A. procellaris ?

Many thanks

Regards
Gordon

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Hi Gordon.
As far as I know it does matter 2 or 3 black spots on thorax before sutur and shape of black spot(s) on scutellum. In your case 3 spot and scutellum color - all it have to be with A. pluvialis.
Nikita

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We'll have to take a look at a monograph and what keys we can find after gathering all the cf. pluvialis posts together.It's an exciting but daunting prospect Fauna Europea lists 15 species for the genus:o
Robert PS. Easier for England if the checklist is correct.

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Do nto worry, it is not a Antomyia at all, but a Eustalomyia (also Anthomyiidae). Two species are possible, E. festiva or E. histrio. I have only a male of the former in my collection; it is a very good match.

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Not my day at all. First the Bellardia catastophe. Now this. Perhaps it's the heat 30. Robert

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It is not my day too:(. And weather is rather cool in Moscow.
On the other hand, day is good. Yesterday I red about Eustalomyia keying Hylemya. Now, grace to Gordon and Kahis, I've seen Eustalomyia too.
Nikita

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Thankyou very much

Regards

Gordon

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Hi Gordon
Kahis is right - it's either Eustalomyia festiva or histrio. If you still have the specimen, they're easy to tell apart.
In festiva, the aristal hairs are as long as the third antennal segment (first flagellomere) is wide - i.e. short-plumose. In histrio the hairs are very short - i.e. pubescent.
Also the hind tibia has 7 av setae in festiva and 12 in histrio. - Easy! ;)
Incidentally I caught two histrio resting on tree-trunks near Norwich a couple of weeks ago. Both festiva and histrio are fairly common in the South of England. (Information on identification and distribution from Mike Ackland's excellent CD of British anthomyid keys and drawings).

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Thanks for that Tony.

I don't collect specimens as I don't have the facilities to examine them. :(

Or the expertise :( but I am seeking to improve in that area.

I have been looking to find reference to Av setae but am at a loss to find an explanation to Av. Could you perhaps give me a hint of what Av setae means. I have attached a close up of the hind tibia.

Regards
Gordon

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Hi Gordon.
As at the map there are South - North and West - East, same on the fly's leg in natural position are Ventral - Dorsal and Antero (=forward) - Postero (= back = hind).
So, I go S-W = I go south-west and
Seta AV = seta 45 dergee from both forward and ventral position.
Nikita

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Hi Gordon
Your follow-up photo shows 7 (+ 1 small) antero-ventral bristles, so I think we can go with festiva.

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Thankyou all for your patience,

It's so much easier for me when I you know what people are talking about. Now I know that 7 can = 8. :o

Regards Gordon

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LoL: try antenroventral, Av or av (all will lead you to the same page, though).

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Also leg setae (under L in the Glossary:p) noting the flexion plane.
Anteroventral (more generally) is also explained in the glossary as Paul says. It is not linking because of a typo which is probably a result of the hot weather.
Cheers Robert