Hydrophoria diabata at Braefoot, Dalgety Bay

A male anthomyiid taken yesterday looks very likely to be the above, though NBN only carries one record from Oxford area. This was at some point in the past synonymised with H.lancifer but was subsequently separated again. Presumably this has had an effect on recording and there may be lancifer records which are actually diabata. I have sent pics and await confirmation (edit: confirmed). This is the 2nd confirmed British record, though some may have slipped through under the guise of lancifer.

plumose arista not so common in Anthos

Hook tip

note also the long epandrium

Calliphora subalpina, Dalgety Bay - Braefoot

In these covid times the lack of variety in location speaks for itself, but this species I've found here, at Cullaloe LNR and Lochgelly, so there's a good chance it's at all my other patches with some woodland too. Lochgelly doesn't even have much woodland (at least, on the north bank where I would have found it. Those three are the only Fife records I know, but Calliphoridae are badly under-represented in Fife recording.

Norellisoma spinimanum in Dalgety Bay

Up to no good in the undergrowth, and with those spines you wouldn't want to be a prey item! Known from a few other sites around the county, this probably isn't an uncommon fly.

Mydaea urbana and Fannia lustrator

Lots of fly action now the leaves are green and the temperature's rising. These two species from different families (Muscidae, Faniidae) have a lot in common regarding appearance, but a dark front femur is common across many families, especially on the fore/upper parts. I'm sure i read somewhere that melanin makes feathers stronger and maybe it's a similar reason, but I might be misremembering that entirely.

Cheilosia chrysocoma at Cullaloe LNR

An unexpected spring surprise basking on the fence in the sun. Already recorded from Fife but new to the reserve and new to me

Key to Diastatidae and Campichoetidae

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/94415?fbclid=IwAR0IvZORufTlclY1H7SM-k-odjoGPSH5um7tMzaylmQkBx__M9XXoKXe3YM#page/439/mode/1up

Parydra quadripunctata at Cullaloe LNR

A quick swish of the net over any marshy ground has a chance of scoring some Ephydriidae. This Parydra was taken at Cullaloe LNR. The R vein with a tail/fork on quadripunctata is quite distinctive.