Flies Galore
23rd December 2009, WednesdayA combination of bad weather and vehicles in for repair meant that I have spent most of today in the office sorting through insect specimens accumulated during 2009. One of the most striking was the picture-winged fly Campiglossa plantaginis (below). The larvae of this species feed in the heads of Sea Aster (Aster tripolium), a common plant on the saltmarsh at Rye Harbour, and there have been several records of this fly on the reserve over the years.
Campiglossa plantaginis
Another fascinating species is this ‘woodlouse fly’ Phyto melanocephala. As the name suggests, this species is an internal parasitoid of woodlice, the larvae devouring the unfortunate host’s internal organs before pupating inside the hollowed out shell!
Phyto melanocephala
Finally I came across a species belonging to the genus Lispocephala (below), a group of predatory flies akin to the common House-fly. This is not L. erythrocera, the only species of this group recorded on the reserve so far, or L. alma, the commonest species, and is most similar to L. falculata a rare (RDB3) species with very few British records. This is going to be one of those things that has to go off to an expert so watch this space!
Lispocephala sp