Tiger Cranefly (Nephrotoma flavescens) – We have had zebras and now we have tigers. This is a female with a pointed tail end. Another ferocious looking insect but it does not bite or sting. Craneflies in general play an environmentally important role. Their larvae help enrich the soil, turning dead organic litter into nutrient-rich material.… Read More Tigers In The Garden
Dioctria rufipes – I came across several of these beastly robberflies whilst strolling down by the river. It was quite a slow flier, but as can be seen in the image, it did not stop this one from snatching a bite to eat. Once they knew I was around they did not stick around, so… Read More Common Red-legged Robberfly
Bombylius major – A large fast-hovering fly which looks like a bee. It has a very long needle-like proboscis which it uses to feed from flowers. Double-click on image to enlarge. © Peter Hillman ♦ 24th April 2020 ♦ Local woodland margin, South Staffordshire ♦ Nikon D7200
Syrphus sp. – I am fortunate to have many hoverfly visitors to the garden. This one was taking a break from all that hovering about by resting on a leaf of my crabapple. Double-click to see more detail. Copyright: Peter HillmanCamera used: Nikon D7200Date taken: 26th June 2019Place: Rear garden, Staffordshire
This Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax) was quite comical to observe, because it really was quite a shy fly. It was basking on a leaf near my pond, and as I neared it instead of flying off like they do most of the time it crawled behind the leaf and peered out at me. When I… Read More Playing Hide & Seek
Click to enlarge … click again to enlarge even more so and scroll up and down and marvel – as I have – at the intricacies of nature’s design, the power and the beauty even in humble flies… July 2019, local field, South Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
… but if you want to double click on the image, well … you have been warned … They just love the sweet flowering spindle. June 2019, rear garden, South Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
Click and click again on the image to get that little bit closer … Meet Lucilia sericata, a brighly polished-looking fly. This one has rather tattered wings. June 2019, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
Feeding time with Calliphora vicina – Bluebottle Fly. You can see why you don’t want them landing in your sugar bowl! Do not click and click again to enlarge! June 2019, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
Click and click again on the image to get that little bit closer … Bluebottle Fly Calliphora vicina June 2019, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
Click and click again on the image to get that little bit closer … Bluebottle Fly Calliphora vicina June 2019, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
… well it’s not a Red-tailed Bumblebee which it is trying to mimic. It is a hoverfly called the Narcissus Bulb Fly Merodon equestris, also known as the Greater Bulb Fly. It knew the rain was on its way and had found a cosy covering under some spindle leaves. Click and click again on the… Read More What It’s Not
Click once to expand view, click again to get that little bit closer Female of the species, September 2018, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
I came across this lovely couple as I was walking through the local fields. They are conopid flies, or thick-headed flies, which frequent hedgerows and flowery meadows where they feed on nectar or pollen. The larvae are parasites which feed on wasps and bees. Click once to expand view, click again to get that little… Read More Sicus ferrugineus
This was quite a bold fly which appeared not to be bothered by me invading its space as I maneuvered myself and my camera about it, fiddling with the camera settings during the changeable light. Click once to expand view, click again to get that little bit closer June 2018, local woodland margin, Staffordshire, England.… Read More Common Awl Robberfly Neoitamus cyanurus
Click once to expand view, click again to get that little bit closer Sun Fly Helophilus pendulus resting on a stone on the edge of my garden pond. May 2018, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman Sigma 18-300mm.
This is a large black and yellow wasp mimic similar to Volucella zonaria, and the first time I have recorded it in my garden. The adults visit a wide range of flowers from June to September. Before 1995 this species had been confined to southern England, especially London. Over the years it has expanded its… Read More Volucella inanis
Quite an unusual yet handsome small fly this one. From the family of Lauxaniidae, it has a length of 5mm (around quarter of an inch). Found in hedgerows and on woodland margins, the adults can be seen June to October. Fairly common and widespread throughout England and Wales. Double click on image to enlarge. August… Read More Peplomyza litura
This is certainly a fly you cannot miss with it’s bright orange abdomen, dark stripe and bristly appearance. It is fairly large, too, as flies go with a length of 9-16mm (0.4-0.6in). This one was taken with my Water Mint, feeding on its nectar. The adults are usually seen May to September. They are fairly… Read More Tachina fera
This very tiny fly which I happened to find on my patio door is a Simulium. It is from a genus of black flies which are between 3 and 7mm (0.1 and 0.3in) long. Not to be confused with aphids, these are biting flies which suck blood, including human blood, and which can cause serious… Read More Black Fly Simulium sp.
Sometimes called the ‘Common Green Bottle Fly’ or the ‘Sheep Blow Fly’, it is one of the commonest and best known flies. Very distinctive with its metallic green colouring and dark bristles, but it can also have a metallic copper green tinge as well. It is often found basking on walls, fencing or vegetation. And… Read More Lucilia sericata
I initially found this large cranefly on top of blanketweed in my garden pond. They can grow up to a length of 2cm (3/4 inch), and have a distinguishing pale line which runs down the back of the abdomen. This is a female with the pointed abdomen, which is actually her ovipositor for laying eggs.… Read More Tipula lateralis
Even the name of this fly Calliphora vomitoria sounds kind of disgusting, with the ‘vomitoria’ no doubt relating to its habit of regurgitating its food and then eating it again. But it is not really its fault, as we will see later. ‘Bluebottle’ sounds better, which is a description of its gleaming blue abdomen. It… Read More Calliphora vomitoria
This hoverfly, the Narcissus Bulb Fly (Merodon equestris), must have been a tired fellow, for I found him quite still and resting on the arm of one of my garden chairs earlier this morning. His wings looked a little worse for wear and quite worn out. He must have done a fair few air miles.… Read More A Tired Visitor
I believe this to be a Greenbottle blowfly, a member of the Calliphoridae family of the order Diptera and a Lucilia sp. I did not realise at the time of photographing that this female was blowing quite a clear bubble for me. This appears to be quite a common activity in the insect world. So… Read More I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles
Calliphora vicina Commonly called the ‘Bluebottle’ fly, several of them appear to be enjoying feeding off my Spindle which is just coming into flower at the bottom of my garden. This is the commonest of the Blubottles in Britain, Calliphora vomitoria being very similar, but less common. Calliphora vicina has quite a striking metallic blue… Read More European Blowfly
I believe this to be the species identified in the title as there are several similar species. To note the yellowish legs, black antennae, black hairs behind the eyes, and there are several preapical bristles on hind femur. Although its has a similar metallic green to some of our Greenbottle flies, it actually belongs to… Read More Dolichopus ungulatus
The hoverfly, Sun Fly (Helophilus pendulus), is back and landing on rocks around my garden pond. It appears it may well be a regular visitor. May 2017, Staffordshire, England.
Please click on the images for larger, more detailed views. Nikon D7200 with Sigma 105mm macro lens, ISO 100, 1/125sec at f/7.1, handheld. Flesh-fly, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. May 2017.
Epistrophe eligans male, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. April 2017.
Greenbottle Fly, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. April 2017.
This is one hoverfly that has eluded my camera until now. For a fly it is certainly a showy one with its shiny brassy-coloured and yellow markings. A relatively small hoverfly with a wing length of between 6.5 to 9.5mm, it is mainly seen in the spring, from March through to May, feeding on flowers… Read More Epistrophe eligans
I had a visitor today. This Bee Fly (Bombylius major) was feeding from one of my Grape Hyacinth blooms between April showers. It must be tiring work all this high speed buzzing about, as it had to take a rest on a stone in the warm spring sunshine.
Another insect was attracted to the early spring sweet offering from the Lesser Celadine. Another fly, with the delightful name of the Marmalade Hoverfly.
It has been a very changeable morning with the light, having to keep altering the camera settings as the sun ducked in out of the clouds like it was playing some kind of celestial hide-and-seek, but at least it hasn’t rained yet. I went on one of my walks through the local woodland, mainly looking… Read More Bee Fly Bombylius major
This is one of the earliest flies to appear in spring after coming out of hibernation. The wings have fairly distinct markings, and the abdomen and thorax are light grey with darker markings. The upper legs are reddish-brown, and the lower section is black. Male and females are similar. Length 6 to 8mm. The larvae… Read More Phaonia tuguriorum
I know flies are not everbodies cup of tea, so to speak, but some certainly stand out and have the most striking colours and patterns. One of many similar species of housefly. It has an orange body (females have more black colouration) and a grey and white stripy thorax with an orange scutellum. It has… Read More Phaonia subventa
This small fist-like ball on the end of this fern frond is caused by a fly called Chirosia grossicauda. The larvae tunnel into the central veins of the pinnules in late summer and cause them to roll downwards from the tip. The solitary white maggot feeds on the main vein by mining. Mature larvae most… Read More Chirosia grossicauda
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) Early November and this hoverfly is making the most of the fading rose blooms. Photograph of Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) taken November 2016, rear garden, Staffordshire. © Pete Hillman 2016. Camera used Nikon D7200, with Nikon 18-55mm lens. Manual setting ISO 100. 1/200 sec. f/6.3. No flash, hand-held.
This morning I spotted this cranefly on my living room windowpane as I was eating breakfast. Grey skies and rain outside, perhaps it was wishing it was indoors. Photograph of Tipula confusa, taken October 2016, on living room window, Staffordshire. © Pete Hillman 2016. Camera used Nikon D7200, with Sigma 105mm macro lens.
