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Berlin - May 2018 - 8.5mm

is this Scathophaga stercoraria or something different? I ask because it is very hairy and bright orange-yellow.

Thank you for your time.

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Hello,

typical male of S. stercoraria. Sometimes they are yellow, sometimes more orange.

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Thanks Jürgen. I know that you have alot of experience with these flies. I think that you helped me with Scatho some time ago. I do not see them very often. Actually, i only see them at a local park with a pond. I do not see them at the other five places that i visit regularly. I have very little knowledge of this family.

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Hello John,



perhaps, because you live in a big city and have no cow droppings in your surrounding? B)
Here Scathophaga stercoraria is one of the most numerous flies. One can find it nearly all the year round (even in winter) nearly everywhere. Some other Scathophaga species are also abundant, but not like stercoraria. Fortunately this species is easy to identify by its furry outfit (less in females, which are also more greenish and smaller than the males) and its dark antennae (single species with such in central Europe).

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Hello Jürgen, not much cow poo here but plenty of Hundekot :)

one of the places that i frequent has cattle, another place has buffalo present but neither place seems to host scatho. I always find them at a local park. There are so many dogs in the park and so much dog poo that the scatho must be content to stay at the park. My Wife and I have stepped in dog poo before at the park. We were not very pleasant after that event :)

i like your photo. very nice work.