Fly Identity please.

[brianholland]

My wife spotted this tiny fly on our philadelphus bush and snapped it.

I cannot find it in my insect book and as I am the chap who tries to identify what she photographs I will be more than gratefull for some help with identification please.

Thank yoiu,

Brian.

[Jason Green]

Evening Brian,

I'd go for the Muscidae family, but without the experience of these personally I'll leave it to someone else - John Coldwell or Laurence Clemons should see this...

Take care,

Jason

[Laurence Clemons]

It is an anthomyiid fly. Unfortunately most of them look like this! I will think about it later.

[oxycera]

Anthomyiids are best id-ed on male genitalia. You can't 'key' them out from photos. Some genera have a certain 'jizz' or other distinctive elements that might be a guide to id for someone very familiar with the family (or with a stupendous knowledge of chaetotaxy).
Although Anthomyiids can be readily ascertained as such from specimens, I must confess that I find even this often quite difficult from photos.

[brianholland]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Evening Brian,

I'd go for the Muscidae family, but without the experience of these personally I'll leave it to someone else - John Coldwell or Laurence Clemons should see this...

Take care,

Jason

Thanks Jason. No wonder me as a complete novice struggle with identifying insects so thanks for friends like you who help.

Brian,

[brianholland]

Originally Posted by oxycera

Anthomyiids are best id-ed on male genitalia. You can't 'key' them out from photos. Some genera have a certain 'jizz' or other distinctive elements that might be a guide to id for someone very familiar with the family (or with a stupendous knowledge of chaetotaxy).
Although Anthomyiids can be readily ascertained as such from specimens, I must confess that I find even this often quite difficult from photos.

John I apprecaite all the help I get and draw some confort that even the experts have difficulty at time.

Regards,

Brian.