Diptera or True Flies at Keele

Diptera are insects that have just one pair of wings as opposed to all other winged insects that have two pairs. They come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and are, with a few exceptions, the study of specialists rather than the casual naturalist!

The diptera in this list were recorded by random searching. Most of the records come from the area between the old sewage works and the entrance from Lymes Road. Here there are plenty of umbellifers, brambles and thistles. Barnes Dell is also good for shade-loving species.

It is difficult to categorise the diptera as they have not been well recorded in the county. However, amongst them are a few indicators of old woodland eg. Brachypalpoides lenta and Xylophagus ater. Arctophila fulva is a northern species at the southern end of its range while Megasyrphus annulipes and Criorhina floccosa are scarce species in Staffordshire generally. T

he following are described as 'Notable' in English Nature's 'Red Data Book of Insects' : Pteromicra angustipennis, Arctophila fulva, Brachypalpoides lenta, Didea fasciata, Megasyrphus annulipes and Platycheirus tarsalis.

The flies in this list reflect my personal interest hence the lack of craneflies, midges etc.

Please send any sightings to me by E-Mail or to the Geography, Geology and the Environment, William Smith Building.

The list was last updated on July 17, 2008 . The dates are those of the first record, where known.

Anisopodidae
Anisopus punctatus F. 18/08/87
Sylvicola conctus F. 28/08/87
Bibionidae - St. Marks Flies
Bibio lanigerus Mg. 29/05/86
Bibio leucopterus Mg. 09/06/85
Bibio marci L. 19/05/84
Bibio pomonae F. 20/06/85
Dilophus febrilis L. 04/09/85
Calliphoridae - Blow Flies
Bellardia pusilla Mg. 31/07/87
Calliphora vomitoria Mg. 07/10/84
Onesia aculeata Pd. 27/08/85
Onesia cognata Mg. 22/08/87
Pollenia rudis F. 27/07/85
Protocalliphora sordida Zett. 27/07/85
Conopidae
Conops flavipes 11/08/78
Conops quadrifasciatus 16/08/78
Physocephala rufipes F. 25/08/84
Dolichopodidae
Argyra diaphana F. 20/06/86
Argyra leucocephala Mg. 20/06/86
Campsicnemus loripes Hal. 05/08/87
Chrysotus gramineus Fall. 31/07/87
Dolichopus festivus Hal. 02/07/85
Dolichopus longitarsis Stan. 31/07/85
Dolichopus popularis Weid. 27/06/85
Dolichopus trivialis Hal. 31/07/85
Dolichopus ungulatus L. 31/07/85
Rhaphium appendiculatum Zett. 20/06/86
Rhaphium caliginosum Mg. 05/08/87
Rhaphium crassipes Mg. 20/06/86
Rhaphium riparium Mg. 26/05/87
Drosophilidae - Fruit Flies
Scaptomyza flava Fall. 22/09/87
Scaptomyza montana Wh. 22/09/87
Dryomyzidae
Dryomyza analis Fall. 01/11/84
Empididae
Empis grisea Fall. 29/07/87
Empis stercorea L. 01/06/87
Hilara intersticta Fall. 26/05/87
Hilara litorea Fall. 27/07/87
Hilara maura F. 20/06/86
Holocera flava 10/07/87
Hybos femoratus Mull. 05/08/87
Kritempis livida L. 20/06/86
Oedalea homgreni Zett. 03/06/87
Platypalpus luteus Mg. 31/07/87
Polyblepharis opaca Mg. 19/05/84
Rhamphomyia dentipes 03/06/87
Rhamphomyia erythrophthalma Mg. 22/09/87
Heleomyzidae
Heleomyza ustulata Mg. 22/10/85
Suillia variegata Lw. 03/06/87
Tephrochlamys rufiventris Mg. 12/03/87
Lauxaniidae
Lyciella pallidiventris Fall. 28/08/87
Minettia inusta Mg. 27/08/87
Tricholauxania praeusta 05/08/87
Lonchaeidae
Lonchaea flavidipennis Zett. 27/07/87
Lonchopteridae
Lonchoptera lutea Pz. 22/09/87
Muscidae
Dasyphora cyanella Mg. 13/05/84
Graphomya maculata Scop. 27/07/85
Helina impunctata Fall. 31/08/85
Hydrotaea dentipes F. 22/10/85
Macrorchis meditata Fall. 22/09/87
Morellia aenescens Des. 31/08/85
Myospila meditabunda F. 31/07/87
Orthellia caesarion Mg. 10/10/85
Phaonia basalis Zett. 27/06/85
Phaonia errans Mg. 25/08/85
Phaonia populi Mg. 15/06/85
Phaonia signata Mg. 22/09/85
Phaonia variegata Mg. 21/08/85
Phaonia viarum Des. 21/08/85
Polietes lardarius F. 07/10/84
Opomyzidae
Opomyza florum F. 19/08/87
Pallopteridae
Palloptera umbellatarum 27/08/87
Platypezidae
Callomyia amoena Mg. 27/08/87
Rhagionidae
Chrysopilus cristatus F. 15/06/85
Rhagio scolopacea L. 30/05/84
Scathophagidae - Dung Flies
Scathophaga furcata Say 01/11/84
Scathophaga inquinata Mg. 20/10/85
Scathophaga lutaria L. 02/05/84
Scathophaga stercoraria L. 04/11/84
Sciomyzidae - Snail-eating Flies
Pteromicra angustipennis St. 22/08/87
Tetanocera elata F. 17/08/87
Tetanocera ferruginea Fall. 31/07/87
Tetanocera hyalipennis Roz. 05/08/87
Sepsidae
Sepsis fulgens Mg. 26/03/85
Sepsis violacea Mg. 22/09/85
Simuliidae - Blackflies
Simulium ornatum Mg. 27/07/87
Stratiomyidae - Soldier Flies
Beris chalybeata Forst. 18/05/85
Chloromyia formosa Scop. 04/08/84
Microchrysia flavicornis Mg. 22/08/84
Sargus iridatus Scop. 29/07/87
Syrphidae - Hoverflies
Arctophila fulva F.  
Brachypalpoides lenta L.  
Cheilosia albitarsis Mg.  
Cheilosia bergenstammi Beck.  
Cheilosia illustrata Harr.  
Cheilosia impressa Loew  
Cheilosia pagana Mg.  
Cheilosia variabilis Pz.  
Cheilosia vernalis Fall.  
Chrysogaster chalybeata Mg. 14/08/84
Chrysogaster hirtella Lw. 18/06/86
Chrysogaster macquarti Loew  
Chrysogaster solstitialis Fall.  
Criorhina berberina f. oxyacanthae Mg.  
Criorhina floccosa Mg.  
Dasysyrphus albostriatus 15/06/87
Dasysyrphus lunulatus Mg.  
Dasysyrphus tricinctus Fall.  
Dasysyrphus venustus Mg.  
Eoseristalis abusivus Coll.  
Eoseristalis arbustorum L.  
Eoseristalis horticola Deg.  
Eoseristalis intricarius L.  
Eoseristalis nemorum L.  
Eoseristalis pertinax Scop.  
Epistrophe eligans Harr.  
Epistrophe grossulariae Mg.  
Eristalinus sepulchralis L.  
Eristalis tenax L.  
Eumerus tuberculatus Rond. 29/05/86
Helophilus pendulus L.  
Lejogaster metallina F. 18/06/86
Leucozona glaucia L.  
Leucozona laternaria Mull.  
Leucozona lucorum L.  
Megasyrphus annulipes Zett.  
Melangyna compositarum Verr.  
Melangyna labiatarum Verr.  
Melangyna lasiophthalma Zett.  
Melangyna umbellatarum F.  
Melanostoma mellinum L.  
Melanostoma scalare F.  
Meligramma cincta Fall.  
Meliscaeva cinctella Zett.  
Metasyrphus corollae F.  
Metasyrphus luniger Mg.  
Myathropa florea L.  
Neoascia podagrica F.  
Orthonevra splendens Mg.  
Parasyrphus lineolus Zett.  
Parasyrphus punctulatus Verr.  
Pipiza austriaca Mg.  
Pipiza noctiluca L.  
Platycheirus albimanus F.  
Platycheirus angustatus Zett.  
Platycheirus clypeatus Mg.  
Platycheirus manicatus Mg.  
Platycheirus peltatus Mg.  
Platycheirus scutatus Mg.  
Platycheirus tarsalis Sch.  
Pyrophaena granditarsa Forst.  
Rhingia campestris Mg.  
Scaeva pyrastri L.  
Sericomyia silentis Harr.  
Sphegina clunipes Fall.  
Sphegina kimakowiczi Strob.  
Syritta pipiens L.  
Syrphus ribesii L.  
Syrphus torvus O-S.  
Syrphus vitripennis Mg.  
Volucella bombylans L.  
Volucella pellucens L.  
Xylota segnis L.  
Xylota sylvarum L.  
Tabanidae - Horseflies
Chrysops caecutiens L. 08/08/85
Haematopota pluvialis L. 10/07/87
Tachinidae - Parasite Flies
Gymnochaeta viridis Fall. 13/05/84
Servillia ursina Mg. 26/04/85
Siphona geniculata Deg. 18/09/85
Tephritidae - Picture-wing Flies
Urophora jaceana Her. 23/07/85
Xylophagidae
Xylophagus ater Mg. 26/05/87