Beetle ID please

[loripo]

about 1cm length.
(Sorry photo quality not very good)

[Paul mabbott]

Not a beetle but Dipteran (I think). Don't usually comment on these but I do see what you mean - something about the big muscular legs and other aspects. I'm sure a fly-person will help you out!

[loripo]

Thanks - Oh dear - and I can't change the title now! Possiblty why I didn't find it amongst the beetles in my books

[Jason Green]

Evening Lori,

Those folded wings look to give a bit of 'hemelytral' protection, don't they! This one is a fly as Paul said, though.

It's one of them St. Mark's Fly type-things, family Bibionidae. I'm actually wondering about a female Dilophus such as D. febrilis - but no way certain.

Take care,

Jason

[Endrick]

I didn't think it was a Hawthorn fly (Bibio Marci) at first - the wings on the hawthorn fly are greyish and semi transparent.

However, now I think Jason is right (and what a good a good spot!). It's just that the photo gives an impression of a carapace. It is very early for the Hawthorn fly though - I won't see them up here in Scotland for several weeks.
Did you happen to see it flying? It's not quite diagnostic but the hawthorn fly, when it flies, has it's rear legs dangling a long way beyond it's body.

Malcolm

[loripo]

No I didn't see it fly. I'll start looking at that group now.thanks.

Just been checking and that's it - Dilophus febrilis - thanks