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...an Anthomyia procellaris...?
Found 23-6-2011 in Zeist, Holland

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Yes, the marking conforms with procellaris but I have no knowledge of the marking's reliability when it comes to the fairer sex!

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Hello hedy. :)

You might like to read my thread, it will give you some clues to females. There are others very similar but I don't know what you have in Holland.

http://www.dipter...ost_170609

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Hello Jason and Janet,

Thank you for your reaction and link to this fly!
Evenso I don't have the courage to say it's a female or not...B)

Regards,
Hedy

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As to sexing, the body is rather more rotund than you see in the case of males, and to my mind through hinging-out-and-down the male's genital capsule the last abdominal segment here isn't big-enough to contain one.

Of course, the classic point here are the separated eyes - but of course there are a few Anthomyiids and other families of calypterates where males also lack the typical closely-approximated eyes.

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...so, q.e.d. : it's a female....??!! :D

Thanks for your addition Jason!!

Regards,
Hedy

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Dear Hedy, please don't think it is necessary to look at the genitals to be able to determine the sex (Jason is hung up on genitals ;)). In a few cases this might be so, but in most cases the distance between the eyes are the clue with male's eyes meeting. In some cases they do not, the best way to find out is to check if there are any photos in the gallery of the species you think it may be. I have photos of both male and female of A. procellaris in the gallery, both identified by a well known expert Michael Ackland. You must get to know who are the true experts in order to know you are getting the correct information. Aside from that, some males have bloated abdomens so it is not a reliable way to go unless you can see it clearly.

http://www.dipter...album_id=2

A good way to find out information on what separates one species from another is to search the site, there you will find a lot of good clues. For example, see these threads ...

http://www.dipter...ost_170609

http://www.dipter...ost_193704

It is useful also if you can find out which species you have in your country, although there are exceptions as I have found, some new species which are not yet recorded.

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Thanks for your added explanations Janet!!
The ones I find and found, I put first here on the forum.

Regards,
Hedy