DIPTERA > BRACHYCERA | Higher Diptera

MUSCOMORPHA > SCHIZOPHORA > Calyptratae > Oestroidea > Tachinidae (270 species)

(subfamilies: Dexiinae, Exoristinae, Phasiinae and Tachininae)

Continued from the previous page.

Macquartia grisea - a generally scarce species with a dull, dark greyish-brown thorax with some markings and paler grey-brown abdomen. The males have large bright-red eyes.

Macquartia tenebricosa - one of the more common members of the genus, averaging the smaller and slimmer of three similar dark-coloured species, but the only one with entirely dark legs.

Meigenia mutabilis - a rather small, bristly black species that occurs in two forms. The individual featured below was identified as Meigenia sp., but with the other two species in the genus being much rarer, it is almost certainly a small mutabilis. It can be found in various open habitats.

Mintho rufiventris - an attractive, relatively small and slender fly with a grey thorax marked with two longitudinal broad black bars, and a long tapering, light/dark grey and black chequered abdomen with red side patches. Wings are slightly shaded, darkening towards the base, and with median vein and R4+5 meeting close to the wing margin to form a very short petiole.  

Nowickia ferox - a large tachinid with a black hairy thorax, and an orangey-coloured abdomen with a longitudinal black zig-zag central band and numerous long straight hairs on the final segments. Wings are mainly clear, yellow towards the base, and with cell r4+5 open at the margin. Although this species is very distinctive and apparently frequent in my general area, to date I've only had one sighting.

Pales pavida - a large bristly species about the size of a bluebottle with a black body that has a blueish cast in certain light. It has hairy eyes, strong facial-ridge bristles and slightly lighter coloured tibia. Regarded as widespread and common across southern and central areas, but scarce further north.

Phania funesta - a rather small, slim, dark-coloured, noticeably hairy species with wing vein M having a pronounced curve that leaves cell r4+5 either very narrowly open or closed at the margin. The sexes are difficult to separate unless you can see the female's long ovipositor that is folded forward under the abdomen or the male's genitalia below the tip of the abdomen. Common, but easily overlooked due to its size. 

Siphona sp. - a large, difficult genus of 16 fairly distinctive small flies that have a hunched over shape and generally sandy-brown colour but, with so many similar species, further identification is not usually possible from photos. That said, the most recorded species by far is Siphona geniculata, which is slightly larger and more robust with a somewhat grizzled, albeit variable, appearance.    

Tachina fera - a large, robust, bristly tachinid with a prominent broad black stripe down the centre of an otherwise orange abdomen. Females have completely brownish-orange legs with dark fore tarsi, whereas the males have dark femora apart from tips. Widespread and relatively common with no particular habitat preference. 

Thelaira nigrina - a long-legged species with the males having a rather distinctive abdomen that has a central dark broken band, bordered by orange and white blotches. Females do not have the orange markings. It is by far the more common of two virtually identical species that can only be visually separated by the long anterodorsal bristles on the mid tibia. It has two, whilst the other species Thelaira solivaga has four. Although Thelaira solivaga is the rarer of the two species it has been recorded locally, so it needs to be considered, but unless the leg bristles can be clearly seen it's best to leave the id as Thelaira sp. That said, the females of Thelaria solivaga are described as being a little darker and shinier with smaller grey patches on the tergites and more conspicuous yellow-orange wing bases.

Voria ruralis - a smallish to medium-sized, rather squat, dark-coloured tachinid that has extensive shifting grey dusting, four relatively short dark stripes at the front of the thorax, and characteristic wing venation where cross-vein r-m is noticeably slanted (almost parallel with the costa) and cell r4+5 narrowly open at the margin. The frons is about one-third the width of the head in both sexes so, unless you can clearly see the tip of the abdomen to judge if it has a genital capsule, the best visual feature is probably the length of the claws - long in the males, short in the females. Voria ruralis occurs in both open and wooded habitats.

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Updated Nov.24 (v.3)