Paradelia intersecta

Paradelia intersecta is a super-common anthomyiid (flower fly) in spring, which can be swept from tree branches where large numbers of males can gather. It can be spotted from a sample in the first instance by its short, slightly downcurved abdomen. Unlike some other anthomyiids, the male can be confirmed by the leaf-like structures on the fifth sternite, which are visible without extracting the genitalia (though those are pretty characteristic too).

The nature of sternite 5 in male Anthomyiidae is often a useful character in identification. It's essentially the last "plate" on the underside of the abdomen before the genitalia. Even in the habitus picture below the prominent "leaf" is visible. For an essentially greyish, non-descript fly, this is a real time saver when sorting samples!

Short abdomen, big eyes (small gena)

Prominent leaf-like sternite 5

When extracted, the genitalia look like the image below, where you can see how the leaf-like extensions of s5 are attached.

Strobilomyia infrequens new to Scotland from Cullaloe Hills, 1st April

The first of the genus in Scotland, this is a fly, and a family, which mines conifer cones. S.infrequens mines Larch in particular, but doesn't appear to be fussy about which Larch. In this case I think it was hybrid, though that needs to be checked. It is noted as a "late" Strobiloyia, in the sense that the female has a long ovipositor, with which she places eggs between cone scales. The "early" species place an egg at the base of a cone. It will be interesting to see if affected cones can be found shortly. Larches are pretty ubiquitous in the UK, so it'll also be interesting if other Larchy places have Strobilomyia species.

Spaziphora hydromyzina, new to Fife from Lochgelly

Spaziphora hydromyzina, female

Loch Gelly, NT2092

24.ii.2021 (pupa), emerged 3.iii.2021

A pupa, picked up on the edge of Loch Gelly on 24th February, bore fruit today when an adult female Spaziphora was seen bumping about in the pot. It was still teneral and its face hadn't settled in, so when I started to key it later I thought I was going to be in the Sciomyzidae! When I looked again at the now coloured-in specimen the face had receded and it was more identifiable as a scathophagid.

This is the second time I've had this species, albeit it's not on the Fife list. The previous one I remember I had sufficient doubt about it not to record. Be nice to compare if I can track down the specimen in my store boxes.

pupa

2 3

4

teneral, with partial balloon-face

5 6 7

8
9

after drying out

10

11

12 ​ Post settings Labels #diptera, Published on 3/3/21 8:51 PM Permalink Location Options

Steven Falk's Calliphoridae collection

 A nice resource, as you would expect.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/63075200@N07/collections/72157658686275806/?fbclid=IwAR0IHfwPplJzsAF5KhhCc1aT92JtPaM3FFmp4Fg1lG6VCiJCZXqBLDZF7ms

Sunrise at Braefoot

 

Sympyhta larva identiifcation

 http://www.wildlifeinsight.com/sawfly-caterpillars-or-larvae/

Liancalus virens - a nice Dodolichopodid from Aberdour

 From the coastal path in a few places east of Aberdour - several seen on damp walls. Already recorded from Dalgety Bay but maybe widespread in the right kind of habitat.