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There is clearly a large decrease in the number of species visible this year. I would dare to say that this was the worst year to collect flies, at least, according to my short experience in collecting them. It is quite unusual compared to the four years I began to collect Flies. This decreasing number in the dipters was already noted by my friend Andrade and Ruud. Dr. Jindrich said the same. I wonder if you also notice in your country this very low number of flies. There are, however, apparently some isolated places where there was an explosion of the individuals of certain species: the case of Salentia spp., and Nemotelus specimens, for example. Perhaps favored by the winter much more rigorous than usual and more extensive. Possibly the very low temperatures in April and May have contributed to this scenario as well. Also the heavy and prolonged rains could be another factor - February was one of the rainiest months of which I am aware, at least here. I would like to hear your opinions, comments and points of view on what you think which are the reasons behind this decreasing in the dipters, if it is your case.

A few moments ago, with a great and very pleasant weather, without being baked and without much wind, and with plenty flowered Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) I only found Besseria sp, Exorista cf. segregata, about 3 Cylindromyia spp., and no much more flies. There are many Polistes spp. (Vespidae); Tiphiidae (Hymenoptera); plenty Mordellidae (Coleoptera); Graphosoma spp. (Hemiptera)... but no many flies. And it should have plenty of them!

Only in Porto Covo (near Sines - Portugal) I could see some more flies than I could find in any other place.

For example, so far I only found one Myopa sp. Usually I used to find much more Myopa species.. Also so far I didn't find any Empidideicus spp. (and they were very common in the 2 last years) and no one Anthomyzidae. There are very few Dolichopodidae and much fewer Tachinidae than usual.