General discussion

Found on a thistle in Leicestershire - early August 2020.  It seems right for Xyphosia miliaria male, having checked (as far as possible) the various features against the descriptions in the I.M. White key.

Found on a thistle in Leicestershire - early August 2020.  It seems right for Xyphosia miliaria male, having checked (as far as possible) the various features against the descriptions in the I.M. White key.

I ran a pitfall trap in a Breconshire woodland in 2018 and have been gradually looking through the contents. Between 2018-07-11 and 2018-08-08 it caught, among the usual ground dwelling arthropods, two female Neuroctena anilis.

Hi,

I am starting to get into Diptera after several attempts but find myself struggling. I’m a student largely based in Exeter and was wondering if anyone had a collection or some named specimens I could look at/borrow (ill pay for postage or anything) to identify to help me get used to the keys. (I have tried to contact the museum but that’s taking a while)

It’s fine if nothing is possible,
-Tom

Is there a usable key to the Dryomyzidae?

Hi there, 

Could anyone help me with identification of this fly? I was expecting it to be relatively straightforward given its distinctiveness but I've drawn a blank!

I've recorded Madiza glabra - mainly gravid females - close to home (Codford, Wiltshire) and have a few interesting photos.  It occurred in large numbers along with a Chloropid Thaumatomyia notata on the inside of upstairs windows over a period of several weeks.  I'v not seen M.

Generally speaking I think it is not very easy to determine especially the females of Trichina. But when you receive specimens in alcohol, which is more common actually than receiving dried material, it is sometimes a nightmare. It is almost impossible to see judge the gloss of the dorsum or notopleural depressions. How do you solve this problem? I am absolutely able to judge the gloss of dorsum or katepisternum of other hybotids as Platypalpus in alcohol, but Trichina.....