Excellent! Keys are so important to the study of diptera, thanks @sanderbot66.bsky.social

(PDF) An illustrated key to the Cheilosia Meigen, 1822 (Diptera, Syrphidae) of Europe PDF | An identification key to the species of the hover fly genus Cheilosia (Diptera, Syrphidae) occurring in Europe is presented. This is the second... | Find, read and cite all the research you need...

Thanks to Sander Bot for sharing a new (and very well-illustrated) key to Cheilosia hoverflies in Europe - looking forward to trying it out www.researchgate.net/publication/... #flies #diptera @dipteristsforum.bsky.social

@dipteristsforum.bsky.social

Plenty of Epistrophe eligans hoverflies around this Spring, this Male seen 07/04/26 Tamworth, #Staffs @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #Syrphidae #Diptera #fly #hoverfly

A gorgeously fluffy male Scathophaga stercoraria fly on Blossom, 07/04/26, Tamworth, #Staffs @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #Diptera #fly

To bee or not to bee - these 2 hoverflies are brilliant bee mimics - Left: Cheilosia chrysocoma mimics Tawny Mining Bee. Right: Criorhina floccosa mimics Common Carder Bee
@bbowt.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
@flygirlnhm.bsky.social - see our #BestFlyBook bit.ly/4dqQI8Z

A male of the spring bumble-bee mimic hoverfly Criorhina ranunculi (Large Bearfly) Found hovering around a rot hole in the base of a tree in an ancient bluebell wood. Mimic of Black-bodied red-tail Bumble bee. #Diptera @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social

I’m about to give a talk at the Royal Institute @rigb.org - Metamorphosis - eggs to excellence

Talking maggots at the Royal Institution!!

@royentsoc.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @dipterists.bsky.social @amentsoc.bsky.social

Screenshot of the first part of the Soldierflies and Allies Recording Scheme newsletter no. 12

The latest recording scheme newsletter (no. 12) was sent out to members of @dipteristsforum.bsky.social recently, and is also available from the recording scheme web page dipterists.org.uk/soldierflies... - includes exciting news of a possible new Villa bee-fly species in the UK 🤩 1/2 ...

Buy tickets – NFBR 40th Celebration: Data for Nature – The Signing Tree Venue NFBR 40th Celebration: Data for Nature – The Signing Tree Venue, Thu 7 May 2026 - Fri 8 May 2026 - Help us celebrate 40 years of the National Forum for Biological Recording! The NFBR's conference on t...

@simon-rolph.com AI for Biodiversity Monitoring 🤖 Join us at #NFBRConference2026 8 May to explore how AI could transform biodiversity monitoring—from image recognition to future AI tools—alongside the real-world challenges. bit.ly/4sZO4iz
@ukceh.bsky.social #AI #Biodiversity #BiologialRecording

Superb programme!

My Garden of a Thousand Bees review – a joyous film on the unbearable lightness of bee-ing This gasp-inducing documentary shows a man buzzing over the remarkable insects that bumble around his garden … and ended up changing his life

Just in case you haven’t seen this yet - brilliant! www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...

Thanks Ian!

They are thought to be a sensory navigation tool as the fly moves through the thick foliage of the damp meadows, their preferred habitat. It is also suggested that they detect air currents. Maybe @suillia.bsky.social has more info on this?

This particular dung fly is as @suillia.bsky.social says, associated with the tall grassland plant Meadowsweet, Filipendula ulmaria. Eggs are laid into the leaves and the leaf mining larvae feed on the leaves. Whilst doing this their predatory parents will be munching on other damp meadow insects.

Look at those bristles! Diptera are so varied...

Norellisoma flavicorne (was N. opacum)...a small, grey dungfly with orange legs and long bristles beneath the fore femora. Found around Meadowsweet beds.

Norellisoma flavicorne, the Grey Mantis Dung Fly...a small, Meadowsweet-associated dung fly with impressive raptorial bristles on the forelegs. A common species on beds of Meadowsweet around the @ldvnnr.bsky.social . @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @ynuorg.bsky.social

Often seen in gardens, this Common Stripeback hoverfly (Helophilus pendulus) was attracted to the Marsh-marigolds in full flower in our garden pond @bbowt.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
Find out more about flies in our new #BestFlyBook bit.ly/4dqQI8Z

Bibio johannis - male

Bibio johannis - male. Another bird bath rescue. New for the garden and me.
@dipteristsforum.bsky.social

Signs of Spring - my first sighting of a male Epistrophe eligans Spring Smoothtail hoverfly yesterday. Love its gold-tinted look.
@bbowt.bsky.social @bbcspringwatch.bsky.social
@dipteristsforum.bsky.social - Find out what other flies to look out for now in our NEW #BestFlyBook bit.ly/4dqQI8Z

Nice to see a Dotted Bee-fly (Bombylius discolor) visiting primroses in our Oxford garden at the weekend. A few fresh Dark-edged Bee-flies (Bombylius major) were also seen
@bbowt.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
#BestFlyBook bit.ly/4dqQI8Z

New site record for #RSPBMiddletonLakes, Norellia spinipes
fly seen 21/03/25 @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #Scathophagidae #Diptera

The Tachinid fly Gymnocheta viridis seen at #RSPBMiddletonLakes 21/03/25 @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @chrisraper.bsky.social #Tachinidae #Diptera

Male Tachina ursina, basking in the spring sunshine

Pair of Tachina ursina mating on Bramble stem

Wildlife group foray over the border into Wales at Block Wood on a glorious day on Wednesday produced a super pair of the Tachinid fly Tachina ursina, making the most of the high altitude warmth. Thanks for the shout @lancefly.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #ukwildlife #diptera

Cheilosia pagana, a small black hoverfly, is one of our earliest hoverflies to be seen, flying from March-October. The female is identified by its large orange antennae. #BestFlyBook bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @bbowt.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social

Lovely family of #diptera! #Pollinators and an important part of the food chain. Great teacher!

Identifying and Recording Soldierflies and Allies with Martin Harvey | Wildlife Trust for Beds Cambs & Northants Learn how to identify soldierflies using keys, specimens, and microscopes (suitable for beginners and more experienced recorders)

If you're within reach of Northamptonshire on Sat 16 May there's a soldierfly identification workshop with the Wildlife Trust: learn how to identify soldierflies using keys, specimens & microscopes (suitable for beginners & more experienced) www.wildlifebcn.org/events/2026-...

Please re-post 👆 if that's okay! @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @markavery.bsky.social @davebriceflies.bsky.social @suillia.bsky.social

This beauty was spotted at BBOWT's Decoy Heath – a Green Parasite Fly Gymnocheta viridis. Males often bask on tree trunks @bbowt.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @stevenfalk.bsky.social See our #BestFlyBook bit.ly/4dqQI8Z

Beefly Alley did NOT disappoint this lunchtime

13 Bombylius major (m & f) and it’s still early in the season!

I LOVE SPRING

@uk-soldierflies.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social