Posted by Zeegers on 04-11-2007 20:59
#3
NO, it's a Tachinid.
Reminds me of Lydella, but not sure.
(i don't see erect apical scutellars, you know)
Theo
Posted by Xespok on 04-11-2007 22:12
#4
In Mihalyi the head profiles of Lydella and close genera are shown quite nicely side-by-side, and Lydella gives the best match by far. I also do not see any erect apical scutellar bristles, but otherwise almost everything fits.
The key (bluish hue, lots of black in the abdomen,arista thickened in the first half etc) strongly suggests a male L. thompsoni. Furthermore I made this photo close to a stream next to a corn field and L. should parasitize Ostrinia nubialis, the corn borer moth.
What do you think?
Do you think Lydella thompsoni is correctly identified
here? I hope this image is incorrectly identified. In my opinion the wing venation does not fit well with L. thompsoni.
Posted by Zeegers on 05-11-2007 13:32
#5
I think you right with L. thompsoni.
The biology of thompsoni is different from that in the books.
Its primary hosts are found in stemboring Noctuidae like Nonagria. Ostrinia nubilalis, also stemboring, is only a secondary host, but it was discovered there. SO your remark 'close to a stream' is in my opinion more relevant than 'next to a corn field'
Theo