Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Anthomyia procellaris or A. quinquemaculata
Posted by Del on 15-03-2009 19:08
#1
Location: Portugal
Edited by Del on 16-03-2009 14:02
Posted by Tony Irwin on 15-03-2009 20:23
#2
101 Dalmatians! :D
Posted by Stephane Lebrun on 15-03-2009 22:30
#3
:D
Nice shot !
And indeed some
Anthomyia spec.
Posted by Del on 16-03-2009 00:21
#4
So the doubts are just between Anthomyia pluvialis and Anthomyia procellaris, right? It looks A. pluvialis to me, but I'm not an expert.
By the way, if you need more photos for precise ID, in a bigger size, I can upload them, I took around 10 photos of this group.
Edited by Del on 16-03-2009 00:22
Posted by Michael Ackland on 16-03-2009 10:21
#5
It's not A. pluvialis the thoracic pattern is wrong. It's between procellaris and quinquemaculata (occurs in Portugal), my quess would be procellaris; these two are difficullt to separate except on genitalia.
What are they attracted to?
Posted by Del on 16-03-2009 14:01
#6
Michael Ackland wrote:
It's not A. pluvialis the thoracic pattern is wrong. It's between procellaris and quinquemaculata (occurs in Portugal), my quess would be procellaris; these two are difficullt to separate except on genitalia.
What are they attracted to?
They were eating a bigger fly, 3 or 4 times bigger than them. I was going to photograph it, but when I check it again, they alredy finished it...
Thanks for the help. :)
Edited by Del on 16-03-2009 14:01
Posted by Michael Ackland on 16-03-2009 18:42
#7
That is a very interesting observation, and I don't think Anthomyia spp. have been recorded doing this, Presumably sucking juices from a dead fly? I expected it to be some rotting fruit or excrement. I should publish it with the photo.
Posted by Michael Ackland on 16-03-2009 18:43
#8
That is a very interesting observation, and I don't think Anthomyia spp. have been recorded doing this, Presumably sucking juices from a dead fly? I expected it to be some rotting fruit or excrement. I should publish it with the photo.
Posted by Xespok on 16-03-2009 18:55
#9
I can confirm that this happens. I also saw Anthomyia cf imbrida doing exactly this together with Fannia sp and Desmometopa sp. They were sucking the juices of a dead Calliphora in a frenzy like this, Pity that I did not have the camera with me.
Someone earlier had a similar photo showing that Chloropids do this also.
I am sure that this is a quite general phenomenon. For example I frequently observe Pyrrocoris apterus (a bug) doing exactly the same thing. They should normally suck plant material, but if they find a dead fly they will suck it out as well.
I think this shouls be fairly easy to recapitulate by catching flies, slighty crushing them and placing them for baits to attract other flies.
Posted by Michael Ackland on 21-03-2009 10:19
#11
You are right, the two males at the bottom of the second photo are different, namely the pattern on scutellum. Impossible to say what they are, but possibly procellaris and quinquemaculata? The black patterns can vary slightly and arfe only an indication.