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Hello,

A female this time, I'm wondering if it is the same species as the male I had.

http://diptera.in...d_id=37811

It landed on the same Laurel shrub, size was 6mm or less. 22nd April, my garden near Lincoln UK.

I managed two pics with a side view so hoping this will help.

Janet

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pic 2

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This seems to key to Trichopsomyia lucida. Wing venation matches, dust spots on frons, yellow metatarsus 2, spots on T2 yellow (aged?) triangular to rectangular. I don't know if the male I linked to in the first post is the same, but it was only a few days before the female. Size fits. Any comments? ;)

http://www.hoverf...highlight=

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Janet - Have you considered Pipiza luteitarsis?

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Yes I have Tony, in fact I have considered just about everything! :D

The dust spots on the female P. luteitarsis should be small, at most 1/6 of the width of the frons according to Mark van Veen keys.

Check the shape and angle of the bottom part of the M vein against the drawing on the HRS. This also matches the drawing in the keys.

I had originally sent the photos of the male to Roger Morris, he seemed certain that it wasn't P. luteitarsis but he couldn't place it.

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I cropped the wing off for a better view..

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I don't think it looks like T. lucida: in that species the spots on tergite 2 are not as narrow and of a paler colour, and the shape of the head does not seem right. I think it's a Pipiza, but which one...

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Thank you Menno, if you are correct about the genus, and I do trust your judgement, the alternative in the keys to Pipiza luteitarsis is Pipiza accola. The very reason I veered away from Pipiza, as that species is not listed here. I don't see any of the Pipiza species on the UK list as fitting this.

http://www.dipter...p?id=11274

Of course I have no idea what P. accola looks like, or the possibility of it being here. What are your thoughts?

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I had checked the photos of Pipiza accola on this site, I think it's a good match to both male and female!

http://syrphidae....l&nf=P

Jizz notes in the keys state covered with long, pale hairs. True.

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It is certainly a Pipiza and the fotos would fit to Pipiza accola. However, Pipiza are extremely tricky to identify even with a voucher. I would never accept a record of such a rare species based on a foto. Do you have a voucher? If not I would urgently recommend to catch one next spring. Could be a first record to GB!

Dieter

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No I don't collect them Dieter, but even if I had wanted to I doubt I would have managed to capture it. I can at least take photos as I'm used to sneaking up on flies and I have a good macro lens so can take photos from a distance and still get good magnification. It flew off after I got the side view. Both the male and female were very nervous, understandably!

The question is, does it fit anything else we may have in Britain. I doubt it does, but I know a specimen would be required for a record. I may never see it again, and if I do I doubt I would want to capture it. ;)