Picture-Wing Fly

A grey picture-wing fly of species Platystoma seminationis (Diptera: Platystomatidae).  It seems that there is only one other species of Platystomatidae found in the UK, and that is Rivellia syngenesiae which looks nothing like the above, so I feel pretty confident in the above identification.  The Platystomatidae are more important in other parts of the world, indeed some of the most bizarre-looking known flies belong to this family (see here and here, for instance).

Photo taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2011-04-25.

Tachinid Fly

The tiny Tachinid fly with big eyes: probably Phasia pusilla (Diptera: Tachinidae).  [Note added 2011-05-02: Could also be Phasia barbifrons which was added to the British list in 1999.]

Photos taken in the field below Chazey Wood, near Caversham, UK, on 2011-04-24.

Grey Fly

This spring, I have seen quite a few chunky little grey flies like one.  I think it is a Leucophora sp (Diptera: Anthomyiidae).  The females of these flies follow solitary bees back to their nests where they surreptitiously lay an egg when the bee is not looking.  See here for more details.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2011-04-22.

Prices on Amazon

This is an interesting article on the prices of books on Amazon.

Dung Fly

An orange dung fly with particularly long spines on its front legs: probably Norellia spinimanum (Diptera: Scathophagidae).  See also here.

Photo taken in Whiteknights Park, Reading University grounds, Reading, UK, on 2011-04-16.