Graphomyia maculata?

[PeterD]

Can anyone confirm or correct my ID please?

Seen in Creech woods, Denmead today.

[Matt Smith]

Looks good for a female Graphomyia maculata.

[JRsbugs]

Originally Posted by Matt Smith

Looks good for a female Graphomyia maculata.

It's a male, not Graphomyia.

Diptera.info - Photo Albums: Graphomya maculata (female) (3)

Looks like a Musca sp. possibly a well marked Musca autumnalis.

Janet

[Jason Green]

Morning Peter,

Originally Posted by JRsbugs

It's a male, not Graphomyia.Looks like a Musca sp. possibly a well marked Musca autumnalis.)

It's the male that is more colourful, and has this look as in Peter's image - the girl is the one in your link, plainer-coloured. Still, I'm not sure how to separate the males of this species!

Take care,

Jason

[PeterD]

Good morning Matt, Janet and Jason.

Thanks for replying and offering your advice.

[JRsbugs]

Jason, the male Graphomyia maculata is very different to the pic Peter has posted.

The abdomen is more rounded with black spots on a completely orange background, the shape is also different. Usually you will see only 4 white stripes (stark white on black) on the thorax where Musca has a central one and are less well defined.

M. autumnalis has orange patches at the sides with white dusting, black donw the centre and across the top. I can upload my examples to show you as there isn't any good pics of either on diptera.info.

[JRsbugs]

For your perusal.

Graphomyia maculata is on Ivy, a regular on that in the autumn but I do see it earlier in the summer.

I get Musca autumnalis every year landing on the same rose shrub in about the same place.

[PeterD]

Thank you for posting these Janet. I had no previous sight of these flies. I thought I had checked it out properly with general markings (they are always variable) and wing veination. I can see why I got it wrong but, never mind, I shall keep trying