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| 6 July 2020 |
6 July 2020*
This species is one of over 300 species of Dolichopodidae in the UK, a large and conspicuous family. Most species are distinctly metallic and often the males are adorned with secondary features used for courtship.
This species is notable for the white tips at the end of their wings which play a vital part in the males wooing strategy, and makes it very easy for us to identify the species.
This is a common fly in the southern half of England but rapidly peters out in the north and is clearly at the edge of its geographic range here. It has been recently found in Scotland – almost certainly yet another indication of climatic warming since the fly is far too conspicuous to have been overlooked. The same northern expansion has also been noted in Sweden.
Males and females congregate at puddles and ponds. Many of you will have seen these humming masses of flies bobbing about apparently aimlessly. But is far from aimless.
This species is notable for the white tips at the end of their wings which play a vital part in the males wooing strategy, and makes it very easy for us to identify the species.
This is a common fly in the southern half of England but rapidly peters out in the north and is clearly at the edge of its geographic range here. It has been recently found in Scotland – almost certainly yet another indication of climatic warming since the fly is far too conspicuous to have been overlooked. The same northern expansion has also been noted in Sweden.
Males and females congregate at puddles and ponds. Many of you will have seen these humming masses of flies bobbing about apparently aimlessly. But is far from aimless.
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