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Hello flyforum,

This female Tachinidae(?)-fly loves its flower and protected it against other insects..
I can say it was a bit nervous fly and it had was very difficult to take a picture of it.

typical; the alula is a bit orange/yellowish.

greeting, robert

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fly 2

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fly 3

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the backside

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Hi Robert,


It is actually one of those Rhinphoridae: Phyto melanocephala.

Could you give the locality ?
Since it is not (yet) known from the places you usually visit.


Thanks


Theo Zeegers

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Hi Theo,

I found this fly on 'The Hill' (Dutch: De Heuvel) in the Amsterdam Woodforest.
This fly is a woodlouse parasite fly, isn't it?

Of course it is not a guarantee for it, but I found also woodlouse (Psococerastis gibbosa) in this area;
http://www.waarneming.nl/foto_details.php?id=67877

greeting and thank you very much for your reaction :)

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It is a parasite of woodlice as in Isopoda (dutch: pissebedden) !

The locality is quite surprising. Very interesting find !


Theo

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Hello Theo,

Do you know annything about the apperance of this fly in the Netherlands and which region are they found more often in the Netherlands..

Robert,

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Yes, I do.

Its distribution is fascinating.
Most common in Limburg and eastern fluviatile, it is very common in places like Arnhem and Nijmegen. Some smaller populations along the rivers, in the southern dunes (Zeeland, Rockanje) and on the Veluwe.
And now Amsterdam.

As far as I understand it, most/all localities are charactized by having chalky soil. Maybe its host is one of the chalkloving Isopoda ?


Theo