Red-eyrd fly with striped abdomen

[Bruce Williams]

...er RED-EYED fly with striped abdomen.

Stockgrove Country Park, Beds. On gatepost. Sandy soil. Mixed conifers and birch. Constantly flicking its wings.

Size 4mm.

Help with identification appreciated.



Bruce

[GrayB]

Bruce,
This looks alot like some sort of fruit fly but i'm affraid thats all i can tell you for now.
Gray.

[Bruce Williams]

Yes I thought maybe a fruitfly of some sort.

Thanks Gray,
Bruce

[JRsbugs]

Hi Bruce,

I think you will find this in the Family Opomyzidae. I'm trying to work out if it's male or female! Could be male, look at Opomyza florum but don't worry about the eye colour as these are dead specimens. Yours just seems to be missing a small dark spot near the tip and it doesn't appear to have quite the same abdomen shape.

Geomyza looks very close, look at the male Geomyza hackmani.

Diptera.info - Photo Albums: Opomyzidae

Janet

[Bruce Williams]

Wow you are very good Janet! Opomyza florum looks very close indeed, see this web page: http://www.commanster.eu/commanster/...za.florum.html

G. hackmani also looks close?

Thanks,
Bruce

[JRsbugs]

I don't think it's O. florum Bruce, it's missing that spot and I think commanster have got it wrong.

Either Geomyza hackmani or Geomyza balachowskyi but the latter looks to have a darker abdomen. I don't know what separates the two, the abdomen might be variable in colour.

[Bruce Williams]

Ok Janet, I'll take your advice.

Thanks,
Bruce