Diptera.info :: Identification queries :: Diptera (adults)
 Bibionidae - large species on coast
|
|
| nick upton |
Posted on 23-05-2011 19:23
|
|
Member Location: Wiltshire, UK Posts: 828 Joined: 12.03.10 |
OK this one is a bibionid for sure (or a sure as i ever am), but is it possible to ID at least to genus? Maybe tricky from photos only. There were swarms of these big March flies (mostly females that I saw) feeding on Alexanders umbel flowers (Smyrnium olusatrum) on windy coastal cliffs in north Cornwall. 10.4.11 c11mm Near Plozeath, N Cornwall UK. nick upton attached the following image:  [141.89Kb] Nick Upton - naturalist and photographer |
|
|
|
| nick upton |
Posted on 23-05-2011 19:24
|
|
Member Location: Wiltshire, UK Posts: 828 Joined: 12.03.10 |
Profile view:
nick upton attached the following image:  [136.71Kb] Nick Upton - naturalist and photographer |
|
|
|
| Sundew |
Posted on 23-05-2011 20:22
|
 Member Location: Berlin and Baden-Württemberg, Germany Posts: 3939 Joined: 28.07.07 |
Big, black, hairy - why not Bibio marci female? |
|
|
|
| nick upton |
Posted on 23-05-2011 22:15
|
|
Member Location: Wiltshire, UK Posts: 828 Joined: 12.03.10 |
Many thanks Sundew. Im glad you're around again to help with IDs. I nearly suggested that species as i came across many photos that look right, but then many species in the gallery look similar to me! But if Bibio marci is a common, large, black hairy species, that's probably what it is, and l've found lots of records for it in Cornwall now too and descriptions of the dancing flight of males with dangling legs, which i also saw.
Nick Upton - naturalist and photographer |
|
|
|
| Sundew |
Posted on 23-05-2011 22:26
|
|
Member Location: Berlin and Baden-Württemberg, Germany Posts: 3939 Joined: 28.07.07 |
Well, Theo Zeegers ist the Bibio expert! My guesses are mainly based on jizz. However, the gallery photos should not puzzle you - you only have to compare the females (those with the small eyes)  . There are not many that are completely black (including hairs) and have dark wings. |
|
|
|
| Zeegers |
Posted on 25-05-2011 21:12
|
|
Member Location: Soest, NL Posts: 19310 Joined: 21.07.04 |
Well, all things are relative, I've seen a few species of Bibionidae And I totally agree with marci female Theo |
|
|
|
| nick upton |
Posted on 26-05-2011 18:26
|
|
Member Location: Wiltshire, UK Posts: 828 Joined: 12.03.10 |
Many thanks Sundew and Theo. I probably go too much on jizz and not enough on wing venation and subtle morphological characters when it comes to IDs, but it seems that all the evidence points to B. marci.
Nick Upton - naturalist and photographer |
|
|
|
| Jump to Forum: |