Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Fly on Berberis flower - please ID

Posted by cmherrera on 17-06-2011 20:25
#1

Picture taken on 17 June 2011. Foraging on the flowers of Berberis hispanica at Sierra de Cazorla, a mountain range in southeastern Spain, at 1650 m elevation. Any hint will be appreciated !

Posted by cmherrera on 18-06-2011 06:45
#2

Another view

Posted by Sara21392 on 18-06-2011 07:30
#3

I guess Tephritidae!!?

Posted by cmherrera on 18-06-2011 19:12
#4

Hi Sara, thanks for the suggestion.

Perhaps you are right. I saw again the fly this morning, this time as she was laying eggs on a Berberis flower. She laid several white, elongated eggs (visible in the picture) that stood loose within the corolla, rather than piercing the ovary and placing the eggs inside, as I would have expected from a Tephritidae...

Best wishes,

Carlos

Posted by John Carr on 18-06-2011 19:47
#5

I think this is Tephritoidea but not Tephritidae because the Sc vein approaches C at a shallow angle.

Posted by Paul Beuk on 18-06-2011 19:58
#6

Ulidiidae

Posted by cmherrera on 18-06-2011 20:41
#7

Thank you, John and Paul !

I'm studying the pollinators of Berberis hispanica, and this fly is among the most frequent ones at my study site these days. After looking under Ulidiidae, I found that they most likely are some species of Otites.

Edited by cmherrera on 18-06-2011 20:42

Posted by Nosferatumyia on 20-06-2011 10:47
#8

Otites maculipennis Latreille, 1811

Please submit pictures to the gallery

Posted by cmherrera on 21-06-2011 19:35
#9

Thanks, Valery !

I'll submit the pictures to the gallery.