Leaf Mines on Dock

From last summer: a leaf mine on a dock leaf (Rumex sp).  The yellowish larvae can be seen in the lower right. The black particles are are waste matter that the larvae have excreted.  The larvae are probably those of a species of fly, maybe a Pegomya sp (Diptera: Anthomyiidae).

This is the full dock plant:

I took one of the mined leaves home with me, put it in a plastic tub and left it for a few days to see what developed. 

After about a week I found the following larva in the tub:

And also several puparia like this:

Then I forgot all about the tub and didn't look again at it until several months later.  What I found then will be the subject of tomorrow's post.

First photo and specimens taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2013-06-23.

Tachinid Fly

A Tachinid fly: Gymnocheta viridis (Diptera: Tachinidae).  Often seen sunning themselves on tree trunks in the early spring.

Specimen taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2014-03-30.

Another Bee Fly

My first Bombylius discolor (Diptera, Bombyliidae), a male.

Compared to the commoner B. major, the body of this species is larger (15mm, excluding proboscis, as against 12mm) and has a black tail-end:

But the main distinguishing feature is the spotted wings:

This specimen also had a forked proboscis:

Specimen taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2014-03-30.

Bee Fly

A female bee fly, Bombylius major (Diptera: Bombyliidae).

Photos taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2014-03-29.

Blowfly

A female Calliphora vomitoria (Diptera: Calliphoridae).

Here is the wing pattern:

This is a close-up of the head showing the yellow beard:

This is a slightly different focus showing the plumose (feather-like) arista on the antennae.

Specimen taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading, UK, on 2014-03-08.