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26.08.2006, two specimens were collected on leaves of Urtica dioica, others were seen on flowers of Solidago canadensis.
Size 8mm.

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Another view.

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The head.

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Right.
It is Hemyda obscuripennis.


Theo Zeegers

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Many thanks Theo.

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Awesome head! What a shot!

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2 jorgemotalmeida: thanks a lot - I also like how it looks like - pretty bare when compared with most of other Tachinidae - I'd say the fly has rather funny habits, somewhat spider-like, running around on leaves and changing its position.

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It's an intriguing thought that this might be a spider mimic, and your pictures certainly give this impression. But I wonder whether being a spider mimic would offer any advantage to the fly? Most birds readily eat spiders, so there's no advantage there. Something to ponder on ...

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I saw H.vitata about a month ago and I was surprised by it's strange behaviour. Scurrying around on leaves, like a lot of tachinids, but in a very drunken way - very odd. I am not sure it was like a spider though - the colouration is similar to flies like Xylota segnis or ichneumons.

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Really the legs of this tachinid resembles to me a very strong appearance with spiders! And the odd locomotion is intriguing! Perhaps it likes vodka. :)

Are there anymore tachinid that shows this behaviour? Where can I find easily this tachinid? I am very interesting to see that so peculiar movement! :) Thank you!

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Well spiders was the first thing that came into my mind when I saw that fly with its crooked legs, maybe I was wrong about it. Since I saw at least half a dozen of specimens in one day, both on leaves and on flowers, I guess it is rather common (in right time at right location).

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Hemyda vitata is quite rare in England - and restricted to areas of old/ancient woodland. Not sure about H.obscuripennis in Europe though - but I am guessing it is commoner because phasiines tend to like warmer climates :)

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Are these from Moscow ?
According to www.faunaeur.org, Moscow is far north of the 'known' distribution.


Theo

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Yes they are Theo (Naro-Fominsk, ca. 70km SW of Moscow)

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Well, that is surprisingly north.

Thanks

Theo

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Another visual evidence: today I've seen one more specimen on the underside of Tilia cordata leaf at the edge of a pine forest (less than 1km away from the previous location).

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don't get me wrong:
your pictures are much more convincing than the older russian literature!
The occurence of H. obscuripennis might be quite new: the species is expending north as are many other Phasiinae. Often quite rapidly.
Global warming.

Theo Zeegers

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Please don't get me wrong, too Theo ;) - maybe it's just another proof that Tachinidae were not frequently (if ever) collected and/or observed at my location.

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I've found a host record (for Japan) - Arma custos, Pentatomidae (Nishiyama, M. M. Iwasa, and K. Hori. 1995. Parasitism by tachinid flies (Diptera, Tachinidae) of heteropterous insects in Tokachi, Hokkaido. Japanese Journal of Entomology 63(1):159-165.)