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 How to find some Milichiidae
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| Paul Beuk |
Posted on 07-06-2011 20:11
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 Super Administrator Location: Netherlands Posts: 19403 Joined: 11.05.04 |
Many species of Milichiidae are tiny. Desmometopa, Phyllomyza, Neophyllomyza, you hardly notice them in the field as individuals. Most of the larger data sets are know from trapping series, for example Malaise traps but also beer traps. However, there is a way to find them in the field, in particular as kleptoparasites on the prey of predatory arthropods. Most common predators are spiders, robberflies end true bugs. As a rule, most entomologists eventually will find Desmometopa on prey inthe webs of large spiders. Just recently I managed to find three species of Milichiidae on spider preys in the garden of our museum. First time it was a honeybee prey of an adult female of Misumena vatia. The score was eight females of Desmometopa sordida and three females of Phyllomyza equitans. For the latter it was only the second locality in the Netherlands. Today I was lucky again. A small Misumena vatia [3] had only just captured a Sicus ferrugineus [4] (it was still struggling to get away but it could not get away from a spider less than one third its size). On the fly were already five milichiids. Again there was a majority of Desmometopa sordida (four females) [2] but to my surprise there last specimen belonged to Neophyllomyza acyglossa [1] (again the second locality in the Netherlands). I attached a photo I shot (apologising for the rather poor quality as it was taken with my mobile phone). Numbers in the text refer to numbers in the picture. I will keep on looking in our garden... 
Paul Beuk attached the following image:  [143.31Kb] Paul - - - - Paul Beuk on https://diptera.info |
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| rvanderweele |
Posted on 07-06-2011 20:24
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Member Location: Leiden, the Netherlands Posts: 1988 Joined: 01.11.06 |
I will certainly try to find them in Marienwaerdt!
ruud van der weele rvanderweele@gmail.com |
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| Jeroen K |
Posted on 07-06-2011 20:40
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Member Location: Kapellen, Belgium Posts: 1141 Joined: 03.04.09 |
Great job, Paul! I will look out for them. If I find any, I'll send them to you for identification, OK? |
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| Paul Beuk |
Posted on 07-06-2011 21:42
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Super Administrator Location: Netherlands Posts: 19403 Joined: 11.05.04 |
Yup, that's fine.
Paul - - - - Paul Beuk on https://diptera.info |
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| conopid |
Posted on 07-06-2011 21:52
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 Member Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1039 Joined: 02.07.04 |
I am going to look long and hard at any prey of spiders from now on. This is amazing!
Nigel Jones, Shrewsbury, United Kingdom |
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