Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Larvae under bark
Posted by Juergen Peters on 19-03-2006 23:07
#1
Hello!
Last week (13.03.06) I found a lot of small beetles (Nitidulidae, Staphylinidae, Silvanidae, Pselaphidae) and their larvae under the bark of beeches which were cut down last spring (Ostwestfalen/Germany). Among these were some white, 10 mm long larvae, which I assume belonging to some Diptera. Is it possible to tell what family they belong to? Thanks in advance!
Somewhat bigger:
http://www.foto-u...arva_2.jpg
Posted by Paul Beuk on 19-03-2006 23:14
#2
Best chances are these are larvae of Lonchaeidae. I think there is no way to tell what species other than to rrear them to adults.
Posted by Kahis on 19-03-2006 23:40
#3
Paul Beuk wrote:
Best chances are these are larvae of Lonchaeidae. I think there is no way to tell what species other than to rrear them to adults.
Not quite. The amazing Malloch Society guys have reared most of the British species and they can generally be identified at larval stage. I have seen some manuscript keys and illustrations of mouth hooks. Interesting stuff - if you are interested in these things that is:D
Not from a photo though, I'll give you that;)
Posted by Paul Beuk on 19-03-2006 23:46
#4
I know you can get a long way to identify larvae when you put them under the microscope but the pictures will not do in that respect. Maybe J?rgen can either collect larvae and send them to Iain or he can rear them and post images.
Posted by Juergen Peters on 20-03-2006 00:07
#5
Hello, Paul and Kahis!
Thanks for your answers! I was quite surprised that the larvae could be identified to family level. I am content with that. Normally I don't collect the insects I photograph. I know that it's necessary for scientific purposes, but would it be worthwhile for such rather "trivial" flies like Lonchaeidae to collect and kill the larvae? (I have already collected some weevils and true bugs for entomologists, who were interested in the not so often found species, but normally I prefer to let the animals live.)
Posted by Iain MacGowan on 20-03-2006 10:34
#6
OK once someone calls Lonchaeidae trivial I have to post a reply. The larvae could well be Lonchaeidae although there will also be Dolichopodidae (Medetera) or Muscidae (Phaonia) in such situations. We can identify about 25 speciesof Lonchaeid larvae from mouth hooks but the best thing to do is to collect the larvae with some of the under bark material and breed them out. At 10mm and at this time of year they are likely to br 3rd instar so they should pupate within a week or two and probably emerge in May. Then you can tell what they are for sure
Posted by Paul Beuk on 20-03-2006 10:59
#7
Indeed. Since some species are considered important biological control agents for some species of bark beetles, they can hardly be called trivial, too.