Diptera.info :: Identification queries :: Diptera (adults)
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 Villa sp
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| Sylvie |
Posted on 16-11-2025 14:04
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Member Location: Rhone Valley France Posts: 23 Joined: 10.08.25 |
I saw this female in July near peaty soil in moor-grass, sedge grassland in central eastern France. They were fairly numerous. The insect was large (15-20mm) relative to most Villa. I suspect a female Villa hottentata. Can someone confirm ?
Sylvie attached the following image:  [41Kb] |
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| eklans |
Posted on 16-11-2025 14:17
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Member Location: Franconia, Germany Posts: 4301 Joined: 11.11.18 |
Yes, female Villa hottentata is correct!
Greetings, Eric |
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| Sylvie |
Posted on 16-11-2025 14:38
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Member Location: Rhone Valley France Posts: 23 Joined: 10.08.25 |
Thank you for replying so quickly. The bright yellow colour suggests a fresh specimen. What do you think ? Is there a concensus on the host for the larvae (lepidoptera or sphecidae) ? |
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| eklans |
Posted on 16-11-2025 15:12
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Member Location: Franconia, Germany Posts: 4301 Joined: 11.11.18 |
The fly has already lost some hait of the scutum, I think, so it's young, but has hatched some time ago. The hosts are Lepidoptera - I know of two reliable hosts: from Norway a Noctua pronuba (Falck, M. 2009. The Norwegian species of Villa) and from The Netherlands an Agriotis exclamationis (Smit et al 2021 ‒ duistere villa nieuw in Nederland)
Greetings, Eric |
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| Sylvie |
Posted on 16-11-2025 15:57
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Member Location: Rhone Valley France Posts: 23 Joined: 10.08.25 |
Thank you Eric for this useful information. |
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