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A saw quite a few of these flies last week.
It was almost dark, so I didn't manage to make any decent pictures.
Closest match in the Gallery is Kesselimyia chandleri , I think, but I don't know if that one occurs in the Netherlands, where I took the pictures (in Southern Limburg).
They were chased by ants, but it seemed that the flies were not very interested, they just moved on a few centimeters, which in one case wasn't enough to survive.

Ben

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Second picture

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I can't see the flies very well, or should I say I am not too familiar with the Platypezidae. But looking in the gallery to Kesselimyia chandleri, I think only known from Central Europe, I think the flies on the photo come close. If these flies are truly belonging to this species, then this photo is very interesting indeed.

BTW, I do not have the description of K. chandleri. Does somebody have it?

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I threw some photo's in the dust-bin before I realized that the fly could be interesting. Here is one I recycled.

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Ben, I think it is a good idea to wait for the opinion of one of the real specialists. I collected some Platypezidae, but I have far too little experience with this interesting family.
This evening I will see the publications, which I have. But hopefully before that time a specialist reacted already.

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Looks like Kesselimyia indeed. Do you have an actual specimen I could work with?

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Paul, I am glad I wasn't wrong in this case. If it is indeed Kesselimyia chandleri, it is new to our fauna, isn't it?

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Ben, perhaps, perhaps, on the same spot you are able to find more specimens? I will be very interested in receiving some for the collection.

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Paul and Ruud,

Thanks for your reactions.
Tomorrow after work I will go back to the place (Brunssummerheide) and will try to find them again.

Ben

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Well, good luck then!

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Paul, I looked at the other photo's. I think it still looks very much like a Kesselimyia chandleri. But I think only looking at the real specimens will give certainty.

BTW, lovely photo's.

Ben, please, put also the photo you sent to my, the flies on the mushroom. It looks great.

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Okay,

Here is the requested picture.

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What kind of fungus is it?

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I don't know much about fungi.
Many flies were at the upper one, on the other I only saw one fly.

Ben

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The first one is Macrolepiota. With some onions, bacon.....very good

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Which is by the way interesting, since, my knowledge of mushrooms is extremely limited, as far as I know the Macrolepiota is not often "damaged" by insects etc etc as many other mushrooms are.

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The flat-footed flies (Diptera: Opetiidae and Platypezidae) of Europe by Peter J. Chandler, page 210, on the biology of Kesselimyia chandleri:

"The type species was reared from an unidentified Lepiota (possibly Macrolepiota)"

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Ha, thanks a lot Jeroen. In fact, the work of Chandler is on my wishlist.

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You're welcome. I don't possess the work, but I found it on Google Books.

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Ben sent me two specimens collected last week. I am happy to announce that it is indeed Kesselimyia chandleri, unless there is another species of Kesselimyia around (which would even be nicer). I had only two females for identification. Male genitalia might be the final decider.

Ben, if you have any chance of collecting more specimens (males!) or perhaps an infected fungus so we can try to rear specimens...

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This is cool! New species for the Netherlands. Good job, Ben!

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Many thanks for your support,

I haven't seen a male yet, so I guess it will be easier to catch a fungus.

Ben

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Does anyone have an electronic copy of this paper?
Beschovski, V., 2004. Genus Kesselimyia, K. chandleri and subfamily Platypezinae (Insecta: Diptera, Platypezidae): new taxa to the Bulgarian fauna. - Acta Zoologica Bulgarica 56(2) 237-238.

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No, I don't have it, but i would like to ;-)