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I assume this is a Tachinid, but can't work out which. I have checked Chris Raper's site, but couldn't find anything (that wasn't incredibly rare) that fitted.

On flowering Myrrhis odorata Sweet Cicely, male, 8mm, Preston Montford Field Studies Centre, near Shrewsbury, north west England, 16 May 2006.

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Bellardia, a calliphorid.

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Bother:( I had it down as a Calliphorid originally, but all that hairiness and the stalk on the 5th vein sucked me in to thinking Tachinid.

Thanks for setting me on the right track Kahis.

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Hi Susan Don't remember seeing such a good photo of this interesting fly. Nice work Susan.:p:p Robert PS. I havent' forgotten info on Muscidae . Just been verrrrry busy.

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Robert

Thank you for the kind words. I am the least technically able photographer in my family, so I am especially pleased to hear compliments. Do you happen to have any ideas about species?

Please don't stress about the Muscid material - whenever you can, I will be grateful.

I will offer the photo to Paul for the gallery if you think it is good.

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Susan Yes do offer this for the gallery. Bellardia are important flies in medical, veterinary and forensic science and therefore justify our science to a wider public as well as being very useful indeed to students in these disciplines.Getting a translation typed for you at the moment.Robert

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I have this photo, taken last year in the south of England, and yet to be identified. To my eye it compares favourably with the above Bellardia. Would I be right ?

many thanks

Gordon

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Robert

Blimey - 'a translation typed for me' - this is extraordinarily kind of you. Thank you so much.