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I know it can be a problem to distinguish this female from M.autumnalis so I'd be grateful for views on this. I make the vitta twice as broad as one fronto orbital plate measured just above the lunule, and there are black hairs on the proepisternum.
So am I correct ? Thanks, Peter.

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another

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face

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Nice pictures of Musca domestica as you said.

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Thanks for confirming that Stephane.

Peter

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What's your technique for taking pictures Peter? Do you place the flies at low temperature for some time beforehand? I like your white backgrounds!

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Hi Daniel

I anesthetise them with ethyl acetate for a few minutes ( until they stop moving ) and photograph them as they recover, which they always do :)
I then put them in the fridge so that I can repeat the process & take more shots if needed. They seem to survive quite happily (?) for 3 - 4 days and then I release them. For me this is preferable to killing and pinning them, although of course it doesn't give me voucher specimens for future comparison.
To get the white background I photograph them in an old ice cream box using flash & the camera on a tripod.

Peter

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Where do you possition the flash (I assume you use only one?) Are you able to take a phto of this set-up?

Also, do you have a good maco lens, or use extention tubes on a normal lens?