There was two of these yesterday together, one kept coming back but I'm not sure if I got pics of both or just the one.
It's very small and proved difficult to get good pics, it didn't stay for too long. I would say it was around 10-12mm long, the tail section well curved downwards.
The abdomen looked well 'bumped' with lots of broad stripes. The antennae are longer than normal syrphid flies, and low down on the face, mimicking wasp antennae I think. Again this was on white flowers, Clematis flammula, which seems to attract many insects.
I found a wasp mimic syrphid fly which has black front legs used to mimick wasp antennae, which isn't the case with mine.
http://ethology.sggw.pl/documentation.php?id=13
I found one with a similar shape without the strong stripes, Physocephala supposedly.
http://www.robsplants.com/critters/flies.php
I found another pic of Physocephala and the face is a match! Legs and feet look the same too.
http://www.eco.ethz.ch/research/coevolution
Conops quadrifasciatus looks good except for the colour of the legs,
http://www.insektengalerie.de/zweifluegler/conops_quadrifasciatus.html
http://popgen.unimaas.nl/~jlindsey/commanster/Insects/Flies/SuFlies/Conops.quadrifasciatus.html
Hmm, no black on these legs either, and it doesn't look to have yellow feet! (tee hee)
http://www.fkohl.de/wallpapers/conops_quadrifasciatus_wp.jpg
Another with legs reddish brown, not black and yellow.
http://www.rps.org/portfolios_detail.php?ID=482
Time to post before I lose it.
CLOSED: Syrphid Fly Wasp mimic?
Conops flavipes has the right colour legs, but the stripes on the abdomen look too thin.
http://popgen.unimaas.nl/~jlindsey/commanster/Insects/Flies/SuFlies/Conops.flavipes.html
A list of the Conopini recorded in Britain
http://www.answers.com/topic/list-of-conopid-fly-species-recorded-in-britain
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_conopid_fly_species_recorded_in_Britain
Conops ceriaeformis
Conops flavipes
Conops quadrifasciatus
Conops strigatus
Conops vesicularis
Leopoldius brevirostris
Leopoldius signatus
Conops ceriaeformis female,
http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/P5/P50109.php
Conops flavipes, it looks like the male, I think bingo!
http://www.diptera.info/photogallery.php?photo_id=674
http://www.diptera.info/photogallery.php?album_id=11
http://www.rutkies.de/fliegen-3/Conops%20flavipes%20-%20Dickkopffliege%20m06%20hsk.html
I can't find a family to put it in, Thick-headed Flies, Wasp Fly, Family Conopidae
http://www.gardensafari.net/english/remaining_flies.htm
If I had gone to that site for a start instead of going the long route it might have been easier! But it was in the 'remaining flies' section.
Bumping this up as I think I need a new Family to put it in
Conops flavipes, Thick-headed Flies, Wasp Fly, Family Conopidae
Janet, I have added the Conopidae, by creating an entry for your Wasp Fly (Conops flavipes) here: http://davesgarden.com/bf/go/4714/
Ken
Thanks Ken!
I've added the pics so you can put one on the Families page.
Thanks Janet, I have addewd an image to the index
Ken
Post a Reply to this Thread
More Insect and Spider Identification Threads
-
SOLVED: Syrphid Fly Wasp mimic?
started by klego
last post by klegoApr 17, 20255Apr 17, 2025 -
SOLVED: Syrphid Fly Wasp mimic?
started by ivk
last post by ivkApr 23, 20252Apr 23, 2025 -
SOLVED: Syrphid Fly Wasp mimic?
started by ivk
last post by ivkApr 23, 20252Apr 23, 2025 -
SOLVED: Syrphid Fly Wasp mimic?
started by emblue
last post by emblueApr 24, 20253Apr 24, 2025 -
SOLVED: Syrphid Fly Wasp mimic?
started by PitterCol
last post by PitterColApr 30, 20252Apr 30, 2025
