Help with identifications, field craft and other topics relating to Diptera
Keying from Alan Stubb's British Craneflies I get this to a choice of Phylidorea ferruginea or P. longicornis. Seems to have a mix of the supposedly differentiating characters. Vein Rs is short like the plate for P. ferruginea and wing quite long. Also top of head grey dusted. But femora with strong black apical ring and suggestion of infuscation around base of Rs and crossveins, more like P. longicornis. Beds marsh.
Can anyone please identify this long-legged fly? Has me stumped! 5mm long, caught in native woodland by river in northern Devon on 14 May.
Is this Hydrotaea diabolus please? Beds alder woodland.
Hi I just want to know if I'm in the right ballpark for both before recording, both in a garden today next to a relatively unmanaged field and near Therfield Heath Herts.
I want to say Melanostoma scalere as there does seem to be a greyish frons but its a first for me and the Scaeva just seems too small and early though judging by the wing condition it may have overwintered.
Ps ok Scaeva could just be a dark Eupodes luniger with very yellow face but woud still like confirmation.
This specimen turned up in a moth trap at High Batts Nature Reserve near Ripon last week.
