Thursday 14 September 2017

Macro ID help needed

The lack of markings on the first one has had me going round in circles. (length 18mm).
The second I thought might be a Pale Mottled Willow although I can't see any white spots around the kidney-mark. (length 14mm).
The final picture of a wasp/fly?? was from last week. Not something I have had in my trap before.











Andy Newbold, Sibford Ferris, Oxon.

7 comments:

  1. Andy, the top one looks like a worn Square-spot Rustic to me and I think the second is a Pale Mottle Willow but we'll see what others say.

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  2. Thank you. That is what I thought was most likely but it is good to have a second opinion.

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  3. well I'm still new so I'd hold out for a 3rd opinion

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  4. I agree - a typically obscure-looking Square-spot Rustic and a Pale Mottled Willow. I'm afraid my knowledge of diptera is sadly lacking but I wonder if, underneath all those moth scales, you might have one of the soldier fly species (Stratiomyidae)? Martin Harvey may be able to confirm.

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  5. As Dave says, the fly is a soldierfly, and is probably the Twin-spot Centurion (Sargus bipunctatus), although it would be good to know how long it was to confirm that.

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  6. Thank you for your comments. The fly was over 10mm in length from memory.

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  7. That sounds right for Sargus bipunctatus. If you can add it to iRecord (or email me the date and grid ref) it would be welcome for the Soldierflies and Allies Recording Scheme.

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