help identifying flying insect please

Dash · #1 (**permalink**) 23-04-2011, 10:09 PM

Today I saw several insects flying around the leaves on the low branch of a tree. Their bodies were shaped like large mosquitos but with (what looked like) long soft black fur fluffed out all over. They just had a pair of wings, which were iridescent shiny black and angled back like a fighter plane. They had incredibly long, gracefully arched antennae. I've never seen anything like them before and I'd love to know what they were.

2dogs2000 · #2 (**permalink**) 23-04-2011, 10:26 PM

They sound like St Marks fly - Bibio marci.

P.S. Welcome to WAB

JRsbugs · #3 (**permalink**) 23-04-2011, 10:58 PM

Adela reaumurella males

Janet

aeshna5 · #4 (**permalink**) 24-04-2011, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRsbugs

Adela reaumurella males

Janet

Agree with this. I've seen large numbers of these recently + fit your description well.

They are a species of micro-moth.

Deb London · #5 (**permalink**) 24-04-2011, 05:40 AM

Welcome to WAB Dash,

I took this picture yesterday. It was in a small swarm. Did it look like this?

Deb

Dash · #6 (**permalink**) 24-04-2011, 09:52 AM

Thanks everyone. Yes, definitely adela reaumurella. Looking it up (which I can do now I know the name), I see they're fairly common - I can't think how I've missed ever seeing them before! Thanks very much for your help.
Nicky