Tachinid Fly

From a walk around the lakes yesterday afternoon: my first Tachina lurida (Diptera: Tachinidae).  A rather teneral female that must have just emerged from its host, the host probably being the larva of a Noctuid moth.  The black lump on the fly's face seems to be the  ptilinum which it inflated to break out of its pupa (which was probably itself still inside the empty shell of the host).

Tachina ursina is similar but has a whitish band near the tip of the abdomen and generally is less orange-looking (though see here).

Identification confirmed by Chris Raper here at Diptera.info.

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2012-04-27.

Snipe Fly

From two years ago: a male Rhagio scolopaceus (Diptera: Rhagionidae).  See here for a female.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2010-05-31.

Muscid Fly

From a couple of years ago: a female Muscid fly, probably Helina evecta (Diptera: Muscidae).  It is also possible that it is Helina annosum but that species is reputed to be quite rare, at least in the UK.  The females of this species seem lighter in colour than the males.

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2010-09-26.

Tephritid Fly

My first Tephritid fly of the year: a male Euleia heraclei (Diptera: Tephritidae). It was dancing round a comfrey leaf, flashing its wings, but there were no females to see it.  The colour of the bodies of these flies varies from black, like this one, to orange.

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2012-04-22.

Moths

Two moths mating on a hazel leaf: probably Incurvaria pectinea (Lepidoptera: Incurvariidae).  More subtly coloured than the similar Incurvaria masculella.  Note the fancy antennae of the male.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2012-04-22.