DIPTERA > BRACHYCERA | Higher Diptera

MUSCOMORPHA > SCHIZOPHORA > Acalypratae > Tephritoidea > Ulidiidae (20 species)

(subfamilies: Otitinae and Ulidiinae)

Superficially resembling the closely related tephritid fruit flies, ulidiids are not only distinguished by small morphological details, including small hairs on the frons and an Sc vein that gently curves at the tip rather than having a sharp bend, but also from their biology. Whereas tephritid larvae are phytophagous, feeding on plants, these species are mostly saprophagous, developing in rotting vegetable matter, decaying wood, dung or organically-rich wet mud. Some though, are agricultural pests feeding on crops such as sugar beet and maize.

As a small group of twenty species they are quite diverse in terms of habitat association because, whilst many can be found around farmyards, stables, compost heaps and dung, others are more likely to be encountered on calcareous or damp grassland, marshes, or at coastal locations on saltmarsh or maritime vegetation.

In most cases, identity to species is possible from photos as long as the wing venation is clear.

Distribution seems to be more local than widespread so I'm not totally sure how many of these species I'll be able to find, but looking at the available data for Dorset on the NBN Atlas with ten or more observations, Herina lubris is easily the most common with 109 records. It is followed by Melieria omissa with 54, Herina frondescentiae 38, Herina nigrina 16, Herina palustris 12 and Seioptera vibrans 10. That doesn't equate to many sightings for a family that, I would have thought, would have attracted more interest, so it looks as though I'm really going to have to keep my eyes open if I'm going to add further species to the page.

In the meantime, my only confirmed sighting to date is the individual below photographed alongside the River Stour that was identified as Seioptera vibrans, which could be confused with a Sepsis black scavenger fly. It is a shiny-black, medium-sized (4-6mm) species with a conspicuous apical wing spot and darkened stigma. It occurs in a variety of habitats and is widespread and frequent over much of England and Wales, becoming increasingly more scarce further north.