Soldierfly
17th July 2010, SaturdayWhile searching through a patch of flowering Hogweed I was delighted to come across a female Banded General (Stratiomys potamida). The adults of this species can be hard to find, I found this one in a small wooded area next to a ditch, the larvae live in the boggy margins of ponds, ditches and pools. The bright yellow markings on the abdomen of the adult flies are a distintive feature and help to seperate it from the Flecked General (Stratiomys singularior), which is also found on the reserve. The half black hind tibia of the Flecked General is also a good feature to look for, the last picture below shows this feature and also the duller yellow markings.
Banded General
Detail showing the duller yellow markings and hind tibia of Flecked General