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Hi,

Could this be Hylemya nigrimana? 27th December, on my wall near Lincoln UK.

Janet

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Looks right :)

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Thanks Stephen, I had gleaned a few tips from old threads. I wasn't sure if the lower calypter was or was not protruding beyond the top one but the scutellum edge looks quite bare. ;)

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I'm sure Hylemya is right, but I think I should have suggested H. vagans because of the darkened fore-femur.

It's the central area of the scutellum which is haired in Hydrophoria but bald in Hylemya. Another clue is the absence of hairs between the rows of presutural acrostichals (hairy in Hydrophoria and Hylemyza partita).

A very useful confirming factor which Joke alerted me to is that normally Hydrophoria have two pds on t3 while Hylemya and Hylemyza have three (the upper one sometimes small).

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Yes Stephen, Hylemya vagans is the alternative where there is often doubt. I had thought the colouring of the legs and body was more like nigrimana, but the grey front femur for females is something which I wasn't sure about as nigrimana usually have palers legs. I found where Joke has mentioned this so I guess it is H. vagans which is one I seem to have regularly but I'm not sure I have nigrimana. ;)

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I thought about the colour and decided it was difficult to assess in the orange winter sunlight. This is your third image with a colour temperature adjustment - still not great for deciding on the dusting colour, but I think it's OK for H. vagans. Of course there can be no certainty where females are concerned ;)

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For sure Hylemya.
The upper occiput seems bare beneath the postoculars (no hairs just below the stronger row of hairs on top of the back of the head...)
Than it can be H. nigrimana or vagans.
The female of H. nigrimana has the fore femur whole yellow.
The female of H. vagans has the fore femur dark infuscated on posterior surface.

We can see on this photo the forefemur infuscated, so Hylemya vagans !!

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Good point about the winter sun Stephen! :)

Thank you Joke! I checked the keys (first time looking at them now I'm more familiar with what I'm looking at. :D), there was no mention of the differences between the two. I know for sure I have H. vagans male which is a help.

There's no female in the gallery but I can't get my photos down to the required kb size without making them too small now! :(

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It's OK, I've just submitted one :)

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Is yours a dorsal view Stephen? I found a programme to reduce the kb size, it's free and very good! PhotoRazor.

I can add the side view, my dorsal view isn't very good. ;)

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It's always good to have several views ;) I've got a big backlog of photo labelling, but one day I'll get round to checking if I can help fill some more gaps in the Gallery.