---

This fly looked (to my untrained eyes) like a small, slim Sarcophaga sp. at first, but I don't think the wing veins are quite right and it's maybe bristlier on the abdomen and behind the eyes, so I'm thinking Tachinidae... but I need expert help on this as per...

11th June 2010 Wiltshire garden UK, c 8mm

---

Another view, a different individual with maybe less white on the abdomen, but the same species i think:

---

Final shot

---

This is family Sarcophagidae. Probably Sarcophaga species.

---

OK, thanks, I'm sure you're right, and that's what I thougt originally, but checking other pics i have of Sarcopahaga sp. the wing veins seemed more "kinked" in those as in the next 2 pics, and had a more black and white checkerboard look to the abdomen but maybe the flies I posted yesterday are of a different Sarcophaga sp. and the look of the veins and abdomen varies?

Sarcophaga sp. sunbasking added:

---

Sarcophaga sp. wing veins close up

---

Wing veins of the flies posted yesterday which i thought might be tachinids, but you confirm are Sarcophaga sp... but which seem less kinked to me, unless it's just the angle of view.

---

Thing is, wing venation is slightly variable and I suspect that your first specimen isn't a Sarcophaga s.s. .. more Sarcophaga s.l., which would explain the difference ;)

Anyway, your first thought was correct - it is "a small, slim Sarcophaga sp." but probably one of the other sub-genera - not Sarcophaga (Sarcophaga) :)

---

OK thanks Chris, your comments make good sense. I'm pretty sure these were much smaller than the Sarcophaga sp. I'm used to, but being a tricky group, I doubt I'll get any closer to an ID.