Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Tabanidae - Haematopota crassicornis?
Posted by tim worfolk on 22-07-2009 20:50
#1
Just want to check I've got this one correct.
22/7/2009: Devon, England; Wet meadow.
Thanks
Tim
Posted by tim worfolk on 22-07-2009 20:50
#2
different fly but surely the same sp.
Edited by tim worfolk on 22-07-2009 20:51
Posted by ChrisR on 22-07-2009 21:43
#3
Wow - I've not squashed one like that before :o
Posted by tim worfolk on 22-07-2009 22:04
#4
I find that they don't squash, no matter how hard you hit them they fall to the ground, shake their heads and stagger around for a minute or two then fly off in search of more blood. Hard or what!
Tim
Posted by Tony T on 24-07-2009 10:52
#5
ChrisR wrote:
Wow - I've not squashed one like that before :o
In defense of tabanids.
Why would you want to squash it? It's a non-blood-feeding male. I can appreciate squashing those murderous spiky tachs.
Posted by Zeegers on 24-07-2009 16:17
#6
The first one is a male of pluvialis / subcylindrica.
The second one is more difficult, from the pic it might be crassicornis, however, time of year suggests otherwise.
I would need more/better pictures of the antenna
Theo
Posted by tim worfolk on 27-07-2009 20:53
#7
Thanks Theo, and I give way to your vastly greater knowledge. Now, I'm just wondering where I went wrong with the key in Stubbs & Drake:
I can't see any orange on antennal seg. 3; and there doesn't appear to be any orange at the side of tergite 2 and 3. So, following the key this must be either
crassicornis or
italica.
here's an enlarged photo of head/antenna - probably not detailed enough though.
Posted by tim worfolk on 27-07-2009 20:55
#8
And here's the only shot I got of the dorsal side - strong wind so very shaky.
Thanks
Tim