One shiny, one stripey and one boring fly for ID

[iainstott]

Hi, just wondering if anyone can help with ID on these...







Thanks muchly!

[matt_xyz]

the first looks like a Tachinid of some sort. According to my book, one of the most common is the Flesh Fly - Sarcophaga carnaria but it adds that there are many other similar flies that can only be told apart by microscopic examination!

The second is a Greenbottle - Lucilia caesar.

The third is tricky since there seem to be a vast number of different species of hoverfly but one of the more common that seems very similar to the above is Myathropa florae.

Matt

[aeshna5]

I'll concur that hoverfly is Myathropa florea- it has that distinctive horizontal pale stripe across thorax. It's larvae live as rat-tailed maggots in tree rot holes.

[jezlee]

I'd go with Matt on all three ....

[iainstott]

Thanks for your help on that, everyone. I know nothing about fly ID bar how to tell a fly apart from other insects!

[Imaginos]

Originally Posted by matt_xyz

the first looks like a Tachinid of some sort. According to my book, one of the most common is the Flesh Fly - Sarcophaga carnaria but it adds that there are many other similar flies that can only be told apart by microscopic examination!

This is a flesh fly (probably Sarcophaga sp) which is a member of the Sarcophagidae not Tachinidae. As Matt says microscopic examination is needed to determine specific identity (unless you're Laurence )

Originally Posted by matt_xyz

The second is a Greenbottle - Lucilia caesar.

Please refer to the quote above about microscopic examination-there are seven species of Lucilia, two have a yellowish or creamy basicosta (black here) and can be eliminated, that leaves a choice of 5-silvarum, bufonivora, ampullacea, caesar and illustris; the first two of these have strong marginal bristles on the second abdominal segment, (which can't be seen in this photo), after that you have to look at the genitalia to be sure (in fact female Lucilia are almost impossible to tell apart).

Originally Posted by matt_xyz

The third is tricky since there seem to be a vast number of different species of hoverfly but one of the more common that seems very similar to the above is Myathropa florae.

Matt

Looks right from the thoracic markings.

[matt_xyz]

I'm rapidly learning that it is rarely possible to make a precise ID from a photo - but then I made the mistake of trying to do just that with the Greenbottle!

The Chinery book is a bit confusing since it lists the Flesh Fly under the heading Tachinidae, but then states in small letters next to it 'family Sarcophagidae'. Why would it be listed under Tachinidae? Is it because it bears a resemblance to Tachinids?

Matt

[Imaginos]

Originally Posted by matt_xyz

I'm rapidly learning that it is rarely possible to make a precise ID from a photo - but then I made the mistake of trying to do just that with the Greenbottle!

The Chinery book is a bit confusing since it lists the Flesh Fly under the heading Tachinidae, but then states in small letters next to it 'family Sarcophagidae'. Why would it be listed under Tachinidae? Is it because it bears a resemblance to Tachinids?

Matt

The Calliphorid group (Calliphoridae, Tachinidae, Muscidae, Sarcophagidae, Anthomyiidae, Faniidae & (I think) Scathophagidae) have undergone a fair bit of taxonomic revision over the last few years, resulting in a lot of confusion-as evidenced by Chinery; my copy of ...& N. Europe has the Scathophagids in their own family.