---

It's not so much the fly that's special (although I'm obviously curious to know what it might be) as much as the photo! I'd like to say I'd set it all up, but it just happened that way, a gift from nature. The fly was happily walking about on the water of a drinking trough for cattle in an oak wood near Rome (Italy), then after a while took off. It was about 6/7 mm long.





Thanks, Sarah.

---

LoL, are you sure it was not in the Vatican that you saw this tabanid?

---

I would say Tabanidae fly...

Wow! Very good to see one effect of tensional water! :)
Some spiders could walk in water, and there is a specie that lives inside water! :) Argyroneta aquatica. ;)

---

male Atylotus?

---

I'd agree with Nikita - male Atylotus. I won't suggest a species after the trouble we had with the last one! :p

---

I've seen flies walk on water before, but this one seemed really at home there and took off with no difficulty! Thanks for the ID, Sarah.

---

First of all, incredible pictures Sarah !

Males Atylotus are more often seen at pools, even swimming pools, sometimes in numbers (that is, if you live in Italy). But I had never seen pictures like this from this event.

I dare to continue where Tony left:
it's a male of A. fulvus, based on the very large head, long hairs on eyes, predominantly yellowish femora and concolorous (not yellow) notopleura. This combination excludes all other species, to my knowledge.


Theo Zeegers

---

Thanks as ever to the mythical Theo ;), Sarah.

---

It started with the brillant pictures.
If the pictures are that good, IDing gets much easier.

Thanks

Theo