CLOSED: Syrphid Fly Wasp mimic?

Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8a)

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.





Thumbnail by wallaby1
Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8a)

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

Thumbnail by wallaby1
Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8a)

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



Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8a)

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.

Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8a)

Bumping this up as I think I need a new Family to put it in

Conops flavipes, Thick-headed Flies, Wasp Fly, Family Conopidae

Churchill, Victoria, Australia(Zone 10a)

Janet, I have added the Conopidae, by creating an entry for your Wasp Fly (Conops flavipes) here: http://davesgarden.com/bf/go/4714/

Ken

Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8a)

Thanks Ken!

Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8a)

I've added the pics so you can put one on the Families page.

Churchill, Victoria, Australia(Zone 10a)

Thanks Janet, I have addewd an image to the index

Ken

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