Fly with extensive wing markings

poschiavanus · #1 (**permalink**) 23-05-2009, 06:30 PM

This rather poor picture was all I could get before it flew off:

.

The wing markings are reminiscent of some tephritids and others in the picture-winged group, but the general jizz (long abdomen, hunched thorax, long legs etc) does not seem to match. Seems most reminiscent of a snipe fly Rhagionidae, but I'm beginning to get frustrated on this, so all assistance very welcome.

posch

oxycera · #2 (**permalink**) 23-05-2009, 07:40 PM

I don't know what it is either - but it's some sort of midgey thing. I'll be interested to see if anyone can narrow it down.

Action_Man · #3 (**permalink**) 23-05-2009, 08:00 PM

Looks like a Mozzy to me

...

JRsbugs · #4 (**permalink**) 23-05-2009, 08:41 PM

It's a non-biting midge, front legs rest in the air. Could be Chironomidae but I haven't seen one with patterned wings.

I got a similar looking thing yesterday, green with a grey abdomen and stripes on the thorax like Chironomus have. I think it's a female. I'll have to look further!

Janet

JRsbugs · #5 (**permalink**) 23-05-2009, 08:50 PM

Seems to be in the subfamily Tanypodinae, check out images on bugguide.net

JRsbugs · #6 (**permalink**) 23-05-2009, 08:53 PM

I found a male which matches on bugguide, if correctly identified it looks like Psectrotanypus dyari. Google that and you will find plenty of colour variations but the wing pattern looks right.

poschiavanus · #7 (**permalink**) 23-05-2009, 09:25 PM

Janet, what a fantastic bit of sleuthing!

There appears to be one accepted British species P. varius according to Dipterists Digest and 2 according to Fauna Europea. Altogether there are 5 species in the tribe Macropelopiini in Britain.

I found pictures of P. varius here:
Psectrotanypus varius | Waarneming.nl, so this seems to be there or thereabout.

I had wondered about midges, because it was lurking in a very midgey sort of place, and the jizz fitted, but I had assumed the antennae weren't long enough. An american on Flickr suggests that they be called Zebra Midges.

It would be nice to know how many of the Tanypodinae tribes have 'pictured' wings.

Now I know why I don't do midges!

Thanks one and all, with a special mention for Janet.

Posch

JRsbugs · #8 (**permalink**) 23-05-2009, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Now I know why I don't do midges!

But midges are so pretty!

Lol, I'm a super sleuth when it comes to searching.

I came across the common name of Leopard Midge on bugguide.

JRsbugs · #9 (**permalink**) 24-09-2009, 06:00 PM

I had one of these inside on 17th August! It's a bit darker but looks the same. As the wing pattern matches this is what I will be calling mine too, and as your noted there is only one Psectrotanypus species in the UK.

I had to search for it again and came across this thread on a google.