Bee/Fly ID (no Photo)

[Charlesbeams]

Unfortuantely no photo of the Bee/Fly, but basically we were up at Fenn Bog near Wykeham and we saw a Bee sized Fly, all black with gold at the start of its wings and a golden mask on it's face.

It was flying around on different flowers and being Bee sized i pressumed it was a Bee, but then i saw it's legs and it made me think it was a fly.

Would be great if anybody could help me. Sorry it's not the best info.

Basically all black bee sized Fly or possibly a Bee with a golden/yellow mask.


Thanks
Chris

[Anomalous]

Hi

It might be Tachina grossa, a large parasitic fly which is about at the moment, and is the size of a large bumble bee. Certainly all black with a yellow face.

Ian

[Charlesbeams]

Yeah that's the one, very odd looking.

Thanks very much.
Chris

[Matt Smith]

Could I have the details of your sighting for the Tachinid Recording Scheme database please.

Thanks

Matt

[Charlesbeams]

Not sure what you need but we saw maybe 2, 3 at most in the same area on a few flowers which i wouldn't know the name of and remember one was rubbing it's hind legs on it's wings.

I can remember the exact location too as it was by a gate, this is probably as close to where it was as i can get to using google maps.

Location

[Matt Smith]

For a good record we need:

Who recorded it - thats you.

Where - a postcode / grid reference / google maps reference is fine, I can get the UK Grid Reference from any of these.

What - Tachina grossa

When - date of your sighting.

[Charlesbeams]

Who recorded it - Chris Small

Where - Untitled - Google Maps

What - Tachina grossa

When - 7/7/11

[Charlesbeams]

I just remembered about another Fly i saw once on burned down tree. They were VERY similar to Tachina grossa but they were more blue bottle or smaller size. But they had the gold at the top of the wings, the goldy colour on the feet and a golden face.

Any help with that? again no photo

[JRsbugs]

This could be Mesembrina meridionalis, description fits perfectly.

Janet

[Charlesbeams]

JRsbugs - Looks about right, we were struggling to find out what it was for a while, only bothered to ask around now.

Cheers