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UK, Suffolk, 31st August 2010, size 12mm approx

Pale basicosta

Linnaemya but not vulpina - I think anyway!

Hope a confirmation possible from these photos,

Steve

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I'd certainly go with Linnaemya but it looks a bit interesting beyond that. Does sternite 1 have pale hairs? Would you mind sending me the specimen to be checked? If it turns out to be L.picta it would be very interesting indeed :)

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Hairs/bristles on S1 are black, some white dusting.

Collected on Angelica flowers, mixed habitat 2km from sea.

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Hmm, well (without having the specimen in front of me) I am favouring L.picta (unless Theo over-rules me) but to get the record I really would have to see the specimen otherwise we will never be 100% sure and it is an incredibly rare species in the UK.

L.picta was only recently added to the British list when Howard Bentley caught some in a wood in Kent and asked me to confirm the ID. In the British key it ran to L.rossica (which is obviously wrong as that is a montane species) and in the European key it ran to L.picta so we also got Nigel Wyatt at the BMNH to check their 1940s Fonseca material and that also ran to L.picta. So, if yours is L.picta then it would be a very interesting record and a new county/location for it, a bit further north from where it has been found before.

Which keys have you run it in so far? :)

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This is now confirmed as Linnaemya picta. :)

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It missed this and I'm glad to read it is picta, since it seems to be so from thepictures:
* black hairs on sternite 1
* reddish tibiae
* yellow humeri


Theo

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Yes, a very exciting record - extending the distribution of this rare species :)