DipteristsForum
@dipteristsforum.bsky.social
The society aims to promote the study, recording and conservation of true flies (Diptera). Our focus is on the British Isles, but we foster links with dipterists throughout Europe and further afield. https://dipterists.org.uk/home
2026 DF Dipterists Day will be at National Museum Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NP Sat Nov 14th hosted by Dr Thom Dallimore, Senior Curator in Entomology. The Museum Diptera collections will be available to view Fri 13th, with the Dipterists Supper that eve. dipterists.org.uk/events/dipte...
2026 DF Dipterists Day will be at National Museum Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NP Sat Nov 14th hosted by Dr Thom Dallimore, Senior Curator in Entomology. The Museum Diptera collections will be available to view Fri 13th, with the Dipterists Supper that eve. dipterists.org.uk/events/dipte...
@dipteristsforum.bsky.social @uk-soldierflies.bsky.social
Sarah Lambert@sarahlambert7.bsky.social · 4d agoA Black Soldierfly turned up in our garden this week - a new record for the garden and the second locally after my partner found one in a nearby playing field. This now cosmopolitan species is is increasingly farmed in the UK for animal feed, pet food, and organic waste bioconversion.
I believe this is a Anomoia purmunda, commonly known as the spectacled berry fly or hawthorn fruit fly, a small picture-winged fruit fly belonging to the family Tephritidae. Can anyone confirm please @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @dipterists.bsky.social Seen today in our NE Essex garden
Male Cheilosia variabilis hoverfly from Wicken Fen, 05/08/26 @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #Syrphidae #Diptera
A male Eristalis pertinax with extremely clouded wings! Isle of Bute, 31/07/26 @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #Syrphidae #Diptera
A Hebecnema sp fly, seen on the Isle of Bute, 30/07/26 @ukmuscidae.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #Muscidae #Diptera
Grapefruit skins & the search for the larvae of one of the rarest flies in the UK - the Barred Green Colonel. Larvae live in wet moss in a rare habitat - a calcareous (lime-rich) alkaline spring-fen in just one site. Great work by the SRT! @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @uk-soldierflies.bsky.social
The Species Recovery Trust@speciesrecovery.bsky.social · 7d agoScientists study this rare fly using ... grapefruits A thread for #SpeciesOfTheWeek ⤵️
The largest Muscid fly Mesembrina meridiana, seen on Isle of Bute, 30/07/26 @ukmuscidae.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #Muscidae #Diptera
Not the best photos but I believe this is the Cranefly Pedicia littoralis, seen in the woodland on the Isle of Bute, 30/06/26 @suillia.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #Diptera
Male Flecked General (Stratiomys singularior) seen on umbellifers at BBOWT's Parsonage Moor (a top site for soldierflies in Britain), Cothill at the weekend. Discover more in our flyble bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @bbowt.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @rdimond.bsky.social
Eristalinus aeneus Spotty-eyed Drone Fly A strictly coastal species. Aquatic larvae ("rat-tailed maggots") live in brackish rock pools and saltmarshes, adults bask on sunny coastal paths and feed on wildflowers. @hoverflyspotter.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @dipterists.bsky.social
A stunning Volucella pellucens, seen on the Isle of Bute, 27/07/26 @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #Syrphidae #Diptera
A close look at a Grass Fly (Meromyza sp.) Brilliant iridescent green eyes, swollen hind legs, and the detailed ocellar triangle on top of its head. These tiny stem-boring flies are easy to miss, but incredible under a macro lens! @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @dipterists.bsky.social
Wasp Plumehorn Volucella inanis, a convincing wasp mimic hoverfly at Catcott NR, Somerset. Females can often be seen near wasp nests. The larvae develop in the nests. Discover the world of flies in our flyble bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @rdimond.bsky.social
Today a male Cistogaster globosa I believe, to go along with a female yesterday. Great to record both sexes in our #wildspaces garden. Not an every day occurrence in NE Essex. @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @chrismothman.bsky.social @norfolkbutterflies.bsky.social @chrisraper.bsky.social
Superb Ant-hill Hoverfly (Xanthogramma pedissequum). Recorded in our wildspace garden today. The larvae of this species feed on aphids inside ant nests. @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @hoverflyspotter.bsky.social
A female Bishop's-mitre Parasite Fly (Cistogaster globosa) I believe. Another rare one for our #wildspace garden this afternoon unless the my id is wrong . @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social @chrismothman.bsky.social
Sawfly larvae from Allerthorpe Common, East Yorkshire this am. Cimbex connatus, C. luteus, Euura miliaris and Hemichroa crocea. Was hoping for a Cimbex hat-trick, but femoratus proved elusive! @ynuorg.bsky.social @yorkswildlife.bsky.social #symphyta #yorkshiresawflies
Check out this extraordinary female Eucelatoria sp (Tachinidae). She possess a sharp piercer that she tucks up underneath her when not being deployed, for oviposition - you can see her ovipositor nestled in this penetrating sheath! Badass lady! @dipteracourse.bsky.social #FlySchool2026
Heads up folks Some Tabanidae that were sampled from the Canopy Tower at the Soltis Center, Costa Rica These images show both differences in eye patterns & antennal branching. Sadly the eye patterns disappear as they desicate so images are important #FlySchool2026 @dipteracourse.bsky.social
Off to Westhay Moor on the Somerset Levels tomorrow. Should see Hairy-legged Horseflies (Hybomitra bimaculata) sitting around on fences - check out the horseflies in our Flies of Britain & Ireland bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @somersetwt.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social
Can anyone confirm or point me in the right direction to whether this is a Litophasia hyalipennis. Seen in our #wildspaces garden this evening. @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @chrismothman.bsky.social
Camarota curvipennis I believe. Found this evening in our #wildspaces garden. A small, dark frit‑fly in the Chloropidae, with wings wrapped tightly around the abdomen, giving a beetle‑like appearance. UK status: uncommon @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
Just look at the eyes on this (deceased) Twin-lobed Deerfly! Chrysops relictus 💚 #UKwildlife #Sussexwildlife #insects @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social
Still flying of the shelf – Great review of our #flyble Photographic Guide to Flies of Britain & Ireland here bit.ly/4fmoFdL @gailashton.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social @rdimond.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @chrisgpackham.bsky.social
Delighted to find Thereva valida (Dark Northern Stiletto) at Ashberry yesterday. A rare stiletto fly, but with known population on south side of North York Moors. Thanks to @kitenet.bsky.social for confirming from photos. @uk-soldierflies.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @ynuorg.bsky.social
Fine Dipterists Forum week in Somerset. One highlight on last full day at Berrow was not a fly, in fact the enemy of the fly😅, the dune jumping spider Marpissa nivoyi, nationally scarce, no Somerset records on NBN atlas. Vac sampled by Keith Fowler. @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #ukwildlife #spiders
Also at Berrow during @dipteristsforum.bsky.social week with @lancefly.bsky.social a notable fly, the very smart Rhagoletis batava, found by eagle eyed Steve Falk earlier in the week perhaps new to Britain! It's on fruiting Sea Buckthorn and actually proved easy to find here. #ukwildlife #Diptera
Day 6 of the @dipteristsforum.bsky.social meeting. I think I just about have the specimens still under control…..
