small furry white fly id please

squeel · #1 (**permalink**) 22-06-2008, 07:32 PM

Hi
Can anyone identify the small furry white fly we saw in our garden a couple of days ago?

Unfortunately for the fly, it got caught by a spider and was mortally wounded - for us it meant that we could release it from the web and take a closer look and photos. I've uploaded them to the images - they are not brilliant, but I hope someone can identify it because we've never seen such a fly before!
thank you.

Wild-Woman · #2 (**permalink**) 22-06-2008, 09:01 PM

I could be very wrong but it looks as though that's some sort of fungus growing on the unfortunate fly.

Venger · #3 (**permalink**) 22-06-2008, 11:17 PM

Take a look at woolly aphids (Eriosoma spp)

Venger · #4 (**permalink**) 23-06-2008, 04:41 AM

You don't have an apple tree around (or crab apple) - if so check them out, you might find more.

djackso · #5 (**permalink**) 23-06-2008, 05:43 AM

I think that's right: http://pics.davesgarden.com/pics/DiO...275873_149.jpg

I wonder if all that "fur" makes them unpalatable to predators.

squeel · #6 (**permalink**) 23-06-2008, 02:15 PM

Thank you!

That seems to be spot on and solves the riddle for us. We used to have a crab apple and it did have patches of "fur" on it (never knew what they were), but it has now gone - but maybe the neighbours have one...