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Larger


Larger

I would be glad for some family ID, or genus.. Are these the same species male/female? Photographed them on smelly orchids in a beech forest in northern Hungary.

Also, watch a video of the behaviour:

http://youtu.be/N...

Regards, Nikola

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Looks like some Delia sp., Anthomyiidae.

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The male could be something like Delia piliventris, though there are other species with strong setae on sternite 3 and piliventris is not listed for Hungary (though present in Austria). Another possible candidate, D. penicillaris has a ventral swelling on the second section of the mid tarsus (hidden in the photo) and is listed as doubtfully present in Hungary. It could just as well be another species not in the British key I am using.

Try to catch a male and send it to an expert for identification!

The female is definitely not D. piliventris.

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Thank you Erikas and Stephen. Delia sp. is quite enough for me. Is it known what are the foods of the adults? Do they visit other flowers? And what are the possible foods of the larvae?

Thanks again, Nikola

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Looks like Delia floricola R.D. There are nearly 13 species in this Delia cardui group in Europe and Middle East, including some as yet undecribed.

Delia penicillaris Rondani is now restricted to southern Europe. The British (and Palaearctic penicillaris is now named penicilliventris Ackland for reasons to long to quote here. The other British species with long tergal and sternal setae is penicillosa Hennig. D. floricola does not have long tergal setae as in the photo. I have not checked to see if it occurs in Hungary.

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Thank you Michael,
I collected them, so the exact name will be known after determination in the museum in Budapest.

Best wishes, Nikola

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I don't think there are any specialists on Anthomyiidae in Budapest at the moment. I heard recently that the only dipterist there was recently made redundant!