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I thought the bulge in the leading edge of the wing might be characteristic. It is in alcohol.

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Collected in my garden, Menai Bridge, Wales, 15 August 2017.

John Bratton.

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Lonchaeidae -- acalyptrate with bulging first section of costa, Tephritoidea-type oviscape, long ovipositor, and halteres black.

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Many thanks

John

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Using the MacGowan & Rotheray RES Handbook, I think this is Lonchaea sylvatica. But there are a few things that don't fit. On p. 94 they say “the combination of all black tarsomeres and black squamal fringes make L. sylvatica unique amonst the British Lonchaea. This combination can, however, lead to confusion with certain species of Dasiops and as a precaution check for the absence of poststigmatical bristles and the lack of strong setae on the genae.” I looked at different angles and in different lights for the poststigmaticals, but wasn't tsure I was looking in the right place. My specimen does appear to have strong bristles on the genae. But the form of the ovipositor fits Lonchaea and not Dasiops, and the third antennal segment looks too long for Dasiops.

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The other minor detail that doesn't fit L. sylvatica: the Handbook says the apical section of the ovipositor has strong black bristles above and below, whereas on this specimen the ventral ones are pale.

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Ovipositor, dorsal.

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Hi John

This looks like Lonchaea sylvatica to me. As the key states it is the only Lonchaea with black tarsomeres and black fringe to calypteres. No British Dasiops female has such long setae on the aculeus or such a long antennal flagellomere. The colour of the setae on the aculeus obviously varies a bit.

Locating the post - stigmaticals of Dasiops can be difficult if you are not familiar with the genus The key to Lonchaeidae genera at http://lonchaeidae.myspecies.info/key-genera contains a link to a diagram which may be useful

Iain

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Many thanks,
John