Finding Piophilidae flies
In the Spring 2020 Bulletin of the Dipterists Forum, Nigel Jones contributed an article on ‘Finding Piophilidae’. He described the successes he has had with the use of baited traps and by finding the flies on carrion.
Another way of attracting Piophilid flies is to grow dragon arum, Dracunculus vulgaris. This hardy plant is sometimes available in garden centres but otherwise it can be purchased as tubers from more specialist bulb nurseries. In late June it will produce large deep purple flowers of the arum type that, like many other plants in the Araceae family, produces the scent of death in order to attract carrion associated insect pollinators. The flower bud takes several weeks to develop and when fully formed the flower only produces the full strength foul stench for one day. That is long enough to attract plenty of calliphorid flies and other insects. I have recorded the Piophilid fly Stearibia nigriceps at the flower, as well as the dermestid beetle Dermestes murinus and the histerid beetle Saprinus semistriatus. The flowers of other Arum species may also be effective attractants, as well as those of succulent plants in the Stapelia genus.
Note that the picture with this note appears in landscape form, whereas the original is portrait. To view the flower correctly, tilt your screen 90 degrees to the right!
Andrew Halstead