Thread subject: Diptera.info :: unknown Therevid

Posted by jeremyr on 12-08-2012 17:00
#1

T. fulva at a guess? At least it's not the hairy one I've found nearby a couple of times. North London

Posted by Paul Beuk on 13-08-2012 11:27
#2

Acrosathe annulata

Posted by jeremyr on 17-09-2012 22:12
#3

Hi Paul,

I wondered how certain you might be of this id, as it appears to be a coastal species, and this I found in a north london park? I have several other pics of it

best wishes, Jeremy

Posted by tristram on 17-09-2012 22:58
#4

From British Soldierflies and their Allies, Stubbs and Drake, 2001, page 390:

"A. annulata is likely to be found on most coastal dunes on mainland Britain. ... There are some inland records from other sandy districts, such as the Breck district of East Anglia and Hartlebury Common, Worcestershire, but in these days of intensive agriculture it is likely that such occurrences are exceptional."

Is the north London park noticably sandy?

Edited by tristram on 17-09-2012 22:58

Posted by andrewsi on 17-09-2012 23:26
#5

I thought that the black shiny patch on the frons made it more likely to be a Thereva?

Ian

Posted by jeremyr on 18-09-2012 00:11
#6

No noticeable sand, lots of earth movements and the digging of a new lake and river channel though. This fly was along the old polluted tree-lined river channel filled in this year and allowed to grow over. I don't know if sand was used in the re-shaping but lots of heaped up dredged silty stuff lying around

Jeremy

Posted by blowave on 18-09-2012 00:51
#7

Surely this is Thereva?

Female frons with one or two shining black patches -> Thereva


http://home.hccne...vidae.html

More photos would help, if you can crop closer even better. Check the key for Thereva.

Janet

Posted by jeremyr on 18-09-2012 07:21
#8

Janet, here are some of the other pictures

http://www.ispot.org.uk/node/295187

you appear to have pointed out that it's a female, so thanks for that

Jeremy

Posted by blowave on 18-09-2012 12:08
#9

Jeremy, the males have eyes which meet in the middle. :)

I keyed it out to Thereva nobilitata, that seems to depend a lot on how you interpret the black frons spot according to what it says in the keys. Taking the alternatives as opposed to the clues which led to T. nobilitata in each couplet seemed not to fit . Try it yourself, then look at the examples of the black spots on the female specimens to see if it looks correct then if not go back and re-interpret what you have read. One thing which seems confusing is whether there is one or two spots, it does look to be connected so I'd say one. Then the depth of the spots confuses, but if you go to the narrow option it doesn't fit so it would seem that each side of the spot as if separated is about as broad as it is high.

Don't rely on me though! ;)