---

Another tachinid fly from our garden in Mechernich-Satzvey (Germany): Tachina fera (female), as I see it. Length about 1,5 cm. Quite a few of them were regulars in August 2021 on flowers, especially mint. This one is taking a longer break for sunbathing and body cleansing (24 August 2021). Thanks for checking the ID.

---

Image 2

---

Image 3

---

Image 4

---

Hello Hans Hugo, T. fera is correct - but it's a male: large pulvilli, no oe bristles and a large genital (img. 4).

---

Hi Eric,
thanks a lot for your comments. I'd like to thank you in particular for the details that mark the male of the species, I found them very helpful! So the separated eyes are obviously not a criterion for this species.
Best wishes,
Hans Theo

---

Hello Hans Theo, the width of the frons may overlap what makes it non-reliable as the only criterion for ID. And T. magnicornis is quite similar but happens to appear at the same places/same time.
These are criteria from the Tschorsnig & Herting key (1994) and the translation of Rayner, Raper (2001) to aid in deciding between female/male and fera/magnicornis:

T. fera:
Frons in males 0.68 - 1.08x, in females 0.94 - 1.28x as wide as one eye.
Fore tarsus yellow, seldom brown.
The black longitudinal abdominal stripe ends almost always in a tip on tergite 5.
Males: anterior claws almost as long as the last 2 tarsal segments combined;
frons as a rule without oe (outer orbital bristles), seldom 1 oe present

T. magnicornis:
Frons in males 1.10 - 1.39x, in females 1.27 - 1.55x as wide as one eye.
Fore tarsus brown or black.
Males: anterior claws clearly shorter than the last 2 tarsal segments combined;
frons with 1 or 2 oe

---

Hello Eric,
lots of thanks for sharing the precise information not only on keeping the sexes of Tachina fera apart, but also on distinguishing it safely from its close relative. Thank you for the trouble you took, I appreciate your support! There's work to be done this summer ...
Happy Easter,
Hans Theo