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Hi,

Taken on 22nd October 2009 on Ivy flowers. Not sure of size but around 5mm at a guess. It has strange black hairy 'things' on it's tongue, not sure what it's called.;)

A few miles south of Lincoln UK.

3 pics, I have cropped the head view closer. Any help appreciated.

Janet:)

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pic 2

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Head crop

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Looks more like a small calyptrate fly to me.

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Thank you for the suggestion Jan, I am no expert and had looked in a few familes but was still puzzled until I saw one similar in Drosophilidae.

I still couldn't get away from that family, so searched in google and found Drosophila hydei, a male and the halteres are not yellow but it does look very much like it.

http://www.biolib...e/id30536/

These are cultured for exotic pet food :o

http://www.dendro...hydei.html

What do you think? If we could say for sure that it is this we have no entries in the Gallery so would make a good addition. Looks good to me but as said, I'm not an expert. ;)

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:o

I see how difficult this could be! I found a page full of Drosophilidae, unless there is only one which has the yellow halteres. I think it is likely to be a Drosophila sp. though, there's a couple there I looked at which seem to have a similar mouth part.

http://rice.bio.i...ophilidae/

Of course this is in Texas, and I don't know how many we have here but I imagine it' quite a lot.:(

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This certainly is not Drosophilidae. Jan Willem is right and it might be Anthomyidae.

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I agree it isn't Drosophilidae, thanks!

I saw another post of a Muscidae, Azelia nebulosa and I have had the male which also has yellow halteres! Could this be the female?

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I've changed the subject heading and uploading a tail view of the female as well as some pics of the male which was about 3mm long.

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Male pic 1

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Male pic 2

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Male pic 3

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Male pic 4

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Male pic 5

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The female will be difficult to say, maybe if you have a dorsal view of the thorax, so i can see the acrostichals.
On the last photos of the male ,hindtibia with long rows of setae (not good visible) and no ad on midtibia.....so should be A.nebulosa, but not 100% sure.

Joke

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I can't see much resemblance between the first fly and Azelia, but it made me wonder why I don't remember seeing a female Azelia, or a picture of one. (I've just been through the Forum archive, but I might have missed something.)
Are they less distinctive, or more secretive? Can anyone post one for the Gallery?

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Sorry Joke, I didn't get a dorsal shot of the female as she disappeared and by the angle I took the pic she must have been fairly high up.

Yes Stephen, she must be secretive or shy as she didn't stay around for more pics.;)

The face does look very similar to me, the only pics I have found of a female are on this link, two pics and one with a rear shot showing the same little things on the tail end whatever they are but mine doesn't have any spots visible. I will have to check what Azelia species we have here. (got the spelling wrong in the title!)

http://www.galeri...cidae.html

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I personally find female of Azelia terrible to do..:D
I think Roger has also one female in his thread:
http://www.dipter...d_id=26661

But as always.....important details are missing:D:D

Joke

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Oooh, such a shame you find females difficult ;)

We need a few more females for the gallery, so if anyone is able to master this female I would like to put it in the Gallery for all to make it easier in the future.;)

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Missing important details is a hard-earned skill..:P....which took a long time to master.....also the reason MY pics were heading for the recycle bin. Just thought I would give them a punt to wind-up Joke...AGAIN...:D
It has been a success....;)
Roger