Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Calliphoridae? - ZV3 - 02/04/2011
Posted by Jeroen K on 01-06-2011 17:22
#1
02/04/2011, Bos van Aa (ZV3), Belgium. Bycatch from a pitfall trap. ID'able? Thanks in advance!
Posted by Jeroen K on 01-06-2011 17:22
#2
Picture 2:
Posted by ChrisR on 01-06-2011 18:10
#3
It looks wet, which covers up a lot of features, such as dusting, bristles and colour ... I would pin & dry it then take more photos.
Posted by Jeroen K on 01-06-2011 18:16
#4
Thanks for the advice. I'll dry it, but I don't have the material to pin it.
Posted by ChrisR on 01-06-2011 18:23
#5
Pitfall bycatches are notoriously difficult to work with because the specimens are usually in very poor condition. I would soak & wash the specimens in alcohol first to remove any dirt and other chemicals and then dry them carefully to reveal the surface features ... but it might still be a bit of a long-shot ;)
Posted by Jeroen K on 01-06-2011 18:29
#6
The pitfall traps are for a spider inventarisation project. 25 traps, emptied every 2 weeks during a year. I get all Diptera bycatch... I think 'long-shot' is exactly the right word :D
Posted by ChrisR on 01-06-2011 18:40
#7
What sort of chemicals are in the pit-fall liquid? Are they using ethylene-glycol? I tried it once in a malaise trap ... never again. :)
Posted by Jeroen K on 01-06-2011 18:47
#8
I'm pretty sure they use formaldehyde. Afterwards, the specimens are cleaned and conserved in 70 % ethanol.
Posted by ChrisR on 01-06-2011 19:44
#9
Ahh, not too bad then ... one of those specimens looked like it had some salts/residue on it so I wondered whether they were using something that left behind a mess.