Posted by Sundew on 23-09-2025 03:07
#1
Hi,
On 17 September I came across a small fly (about 5 mm) that moved slowly over a stinging nettle leaf, licking honey dew from willow bark aphids. A small stream was nearby.
My first thought was Hymenoptera because of the long antennae, but then I saw the pink haltere knobs...
I have no idea where to put this animal. Though I tried very hard to get a clear view of the wing venation, it was impossible (late in the evening, strong reflections by the flash). But if it was a sciarid, the typical fork of wing vein M should be a bit visible, and the fly would be very colourful for a sciarid. What looked strange to me was the combination of characters
- long, bristly antennae with swollen pedicel,
- some short spines on the lower side of femur 1,
- dark, thickened tibia tips (rather tufts of hair than spurs),
- long curved claws,
- legs without long spines (so no fungus gnats).
Who knows such a fly? Help is urgently needed. The location is southwestern Germany west of Stuttgart.
Looking forward to replies, thanks in advance,
Sundew
Edited by Sundew on 23-09-2025 18:24
Posted by Sundew on 23-09-2025 03:12
#3
Some details. Upper right: spines on femur 1. Middle: antenna base with swollen pedicel. Lower right: hind leg with peculiar tip of tibia.
No better pics, sorry.
Posted by John Carr on 23-09-2025 10:17
#4
Subfamily Ceratopogoninae.
The swollen pedicel is common in Culicomorpha.
Edited by John Carr on 23-09-2025 10:18
Posted by Sundew on 23-09-2025 18:23
#5
Ah - I thought they were smaller... The
Clinohelea unimaculata in our gallery
https://diptera.i...to_id=3730 gives a rather good match but seems to have a hairless thorax and (?) a dark abdomen. On the other hand, it is the only
Clinohelea species from Germany. So I'll leave it at the designation Ceratopogoninae indet. Many thanks, dear John, that was helpful!
Posted by John Carr on 23-09-2025 19:19
#6
The Palpomyiini+Sphaeromiini+Heteromyiini group, which has been further subdivided in recent years, is larger than most.
Female Sphaeromiini have spines under the fifth tarsomeres. Female Heteromyiini usually have one leg with conspicuous modifications to fifth tarsomere or claws. Males almost always have two small, equal claws on each foot.
Many females in this group hunt for males. Males of such species are smaller than females and have female-like antennae.