Empis trigramma, Cullaloe LNR, 22.v.2019

A pair taken in cop has been sitting patiently awaiting determination. Might have done them earlier if I'd known they'd be so straightforward. Mike Hackston's keys.

This is a typical distribution of records for a common fly in Scotland:

There is an area covered by the Highland Biological Recording Group which makes it appear that pretty much any species is more common in that area. This is true for even ubiquitous flies like Calliphora vicina. The rest of the country needs to raise its game!

Fife's new flesh fly, Brachicoma devia, from Cullaloe LNR

Loc: Cullaloe LNR, Fife
Grid: NT1887
Date: 11/07/19
Brachicoma devia, Male

Tummel Shingle Stilt Fly

Outside of Fife (but still nice, anyway), Tummel Shingle produced this nice micropezid (stilt fly) fly, Cnodacophora stylifera, with remarkable lobes on its abdomen, presumably to do with mating.

Anasimyia contracta at Cullaloe LNR

I've found one or two mostly around the spillway but this one was further along the path

Hydrotaea at Cullaloe LNR

Hydrotaea is a genus in the family Muscidae and they have (all of them?) very curious modifications to their legs. So far this year I've seen three species - armipes, meteorica and floccosa.

armipes is a new county record, meteorica appears to be second for Scotland while floccosa appears to be new to Scotland altogether - not a bad collection.

Hydrotea armipes

A curious hook on femur 3

Femur 1 - two bumps and a tooth

Hydrotea floccosa

Femur 1

Neoascia meticulosa at Cullaloe LNR

From Marsh Marigold on the 3rd of May

Tipula submarmorata new to Fife from Cullaloe LNR

A male swept pathside