More id help please - fly and 2 beetles

rubecula · #1 (**permalink**) 05-06-2006, 05:04 PM

Hi,

I'm getting such good info from the experts that I'm pushing my luck again. I would be very grateful to have these three identified please.

TIA

rubecula

Paul mabbott · #2 (**permalink**) 05-06-2006, 05:23 PM

The first beetle is one of the Cantharidae - see the recent thread on 'Beetle ID'
The other beetle is a dor, Geotrupes sp. - can't say any more at this magnification.

Fourwings · #3 (**permalink**) 05-06-2006, 06:02 PM

The fly is a Snipe-fly Rhagio scolopaceus.

rubecula · #4 (**permalink**) 06-06-2006, 07:58 AM

Thanks Fourwings.
I noticed that "my" fly was structurally similar to the Snipe Fly illustration in Chinery. However I dismissed this because the wings of my fly were quite well marked, particularly the black tips whereas the Chinery fly wings are completely unmarked. Is this an age, regional, gender variation or are they two examples of a spectrum of wing markings?

rubecula

rubecula · #5 (**permalink**) 06-06-2006, 07:59 AM

Thanks Paul

Imaginos · #6 (**permalink**) 06-06-2006, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubecula

Thanks Fourwings.
I noticed that "my" fly was structurally similar to the Snipe Fly illustration in Chinery. However I dismissed this because the wings of my fly were quite well marked, particularly the black tips whereas the Chinery fly wings are completely unmarked. Is this an age, regional, gender variation or are they two examples of a spectrum of wing markings?

rubecula

It's probably a different species of Rhagio I'm aware of at least 5 species in Britain, they all look very similar.

rubecula · #7 (**permalink**) 06-06-2006, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Imaginos

It's probably a different species of Rhagio I'm aware of at least 5 species in Britain, they all look very similar.

Hi Imaginos

Where would one look to find details of these different species?

rubecula

Imaginos · #8 (**permalink**) 07-06-2006, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubecula

Hi Imaginos

Where would one look to find details of these different species?

rubecula

Simon Hayhow runs the larger Brachycera recording scheme and "accepts material of critical species for identification" Simon Hayhow, Fleetwood Museum, Queen’s Terrace, Fleetwood, Lancashire FY7 6BT.
There is a book on soldier flies and their allies which includes the Rhagionidae: Stubbs, A.E. & Drake, M. (2001), British Soldierflies and their allies. British Entomological and Natural History Society, Reading.
The five British species are pictured on Bioimages (http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/T682.HTM) but they seem to just be red crosses at the moment.

Hope that helps...

rubecula · #9 (**permalink**) 07-06-2006, 07:56 AM

It helps a lot,

Thanks Imaginos

rubecula · #10 (**permalink**) 07-06-2006, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Imaginos

The five British species are pictured on Bioimages (http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/T682.HTM) but they seem to just be red crosses at the moment.

Hope that helps...

Imaginos, I've just checked the site and this is the reason for the pictures not being available:

"Apologies for the site or the images being down recently (May 2006) Once again we're suffering from one or two people trying to download the entire site. This is bringing our servers to a standstill and chewing up bandwidth. It's also seriously affecting other websites on the servers. Our ISP has threatened to withdraw support. If this happens BioImages will probably go offline permanently."

It would be a shame if it went offline. Is there anything WAB can do to help?

rubecula