Snake Fly

[Bruce Williams]

Stockgrove Country Park, Beds. On wooden fence beneath Scots Pine.

Length to tip of abdomen: 10mm
Length to tip of wing: 12.5mm

I understand that there are 4 British species of Snake Fly but have not been able to identify this to a particular species. Help appreciated as always.







Bruce

[Jenny W]

Hi,

It won't be possible to get a species (or indeed genus as they are all different genera) from the photo as you need to look at the wing venation for a positive ID.

Xanthostigma xanthostigma is thought to be the commonest and Subilla confinis is thought to be confined to south-east England, the other two aren't rare but not particularly common. However they are all really arboreal so distributions aren't that accurate with the current knowledge of them.

What species of tree did it come off?


Edit: having taken a closer look at the photo it tentatively keys out as Atlantoraphidia maculicollis

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks for your help Jenny - it's very much appreciated .

As I said in my OP, the fly was on a wooden fence below Scots Pine. There's also an oak wood (with some birch and mixed conifers) on the other side of the car park - about 150 yard(ish) from where this photo was taken.

I've looked at all the other photos that I took of this fly, however none of them show clearer wing venation than the posted images. Disappointing that it can't be identified, I was hoping size and general appearance might have helped narrow things down a bit .

Bruce

[Jenny W]

Originally Posted by Bruce Williams

Thanks for your help Jenny - it's very much appreciated .

As I said in my OP, the fly was on a wooden fence below Scots Pine. There's also an oak wood (with some birch and mixed conifers) on the other side of the car park - about 150 yard(ish) from where this photo was taken.

I've looked at all the other photos that I took of this fly, however none of them show clearer wing venation than the posted images. Disappointing that it can't be identified, I was hoping size and general appearance might have helped narrow things down a bit .

Bruce

Oops....sorry should have paid a bit more attention

Atlantoraphidia maculicollis is associated with Pinus, so it's looking like it keyed out right. Even though they are all in different genera, they all look the same unfortunetely, hence the need for looking at the wing venation.

It's lucky it keyed out the way it did, otherwise you would have to have looked at the hind wing!

[Bruce Williams]

Jenny - I missed the edit in your first posting.

That's really pleasing news - thanks for checking it out for me. Could I ask what source you are using to key this fly - would it cost me an arm and a leg?

Also, I'm assuming that this is a male as no obvious ovipositor visible?

Bruce:

[Jenny W]

Hi Bruce,

It's an AIDGAP publication - A key to the adults of British lacewings and their allies, by Colin W. Plant, 1997. NHBS are selling it for £6.95. It includes the lacewings, snake flies, alder flies and scorpion flies and I find it really easy to use. They seem to be a nice easy group to ID as it's all external features - wing venation or anal appendages/plates - no fiddly dissection! The only thing is it is slightly out of date as there are a handful of species that are new to Britain since it's publication (only 2 or 3 i think), but there are no keys available for these as yet (I don't think - can anyone correct this?).

It's a male due to lack of ovipositor.

Cheers,

Jenny

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks Jenny - I will be placing an order for the Lacewing guide book immediately after completing this post.

I've done a bit of Googling and strongly recommend checking out this excellent webpage on snake flies: http://my.opera.com/Ukwildlife/blog/...the-snakeflies

Not sure if the correct common name is "Snake Fly" or "Snakefly"? Both terms seem to be in common use.

Bruce

[charlieb]

Originally Posted by Bruce Williams

Not sure if the correct common name is "Snake Fly" or "Snakefly"?

Eithers good

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks Charlie .

Bruce

[charlieb]

Colin Plants AIDGAP guide uses the terms "snake flies", "alder flies" etc. but these really are informal terms - the only species with a common name is Megalomus hirtus - the Bordered Brown Lacewing, and that's one of the rarest species!