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Please help me identify this fly which I raised from a maggot brought indoors with some rotting Honey Fungus. I have several photos of it which I will post below.

Best wishes,
Martin

First the maggot. This may not be the exact maggot which turned into this fly as there were several and I didn't separate them.

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pupa

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adult

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dorsal view

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rear view

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face

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Now some images of a pinned specimen, a male.

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legs

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lateral view of whole fly

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side view of thorax and head

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face

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Dates:
maggot 18 Jan 2015
pupa 26 Jan 2015
adult 16 Feb 2015

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Phaonia subventa. :)

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Thanks Stephane.
Apologies for delayed response - I've been away.
Best wishes,
Martin

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I didn't remember it from last year...
http://www.dipter...ta%3F.html

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Interesting to see the larvae Martin and that you found it in a fungus- how did you look after it to pupation etc

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Thanks for your interest Elizabeth. This is what I did...
I spooned some of the rotted fungus into a plastic bag and brought it home. Then I kept it in the bag opening it from time to time to let some fresh air in, and to photograph the larvae and then the pupae. Then when the adults emerged I transferred them into a fabric bag with a plastic window in the front. I can't remember what this was sold as, but I have used it as an insect house from time to time! I added a damp tissue with water and some honey on it which they visited frequently. I sacrificed one male fly to photograph. I was hoping that the remaining 4 adults which eeventually emerged might lay eggs in some old mushrooms and the remains of the original honey fungus, but no signs so far. A couple of the adults have now died.

I'm not an expert so have assumed that the larvae, pupae and adults are all of the same species simply because they were all found in on or around the honey fungus.

Best wishes,
Martin

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Thanks very much Martin. I am hoping to find a few myself this year so you have given me some ideas on how to proceed!

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Phonia larvae are obligatory predators, thus you would need some larval prey to breed them. I have tried with M. domestica and some Calliphora of different age but without success.

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Thanks Andrzej, There must have been a few other larvae in with them. I noticed a few Psychodidae and a larger Nematocera emerge while I was waiting to see what was in the larger pupae.