Not many people, even amongst entomologists, get wildly excited about flies and yet we cannot ignore them, they follow us everywhere, many species are so small they go unnoticed until they bite you ! According to Alan Stubbs the number of species in Britain has increased from 5728 to around 6668. Since the '70s there has been a group - The Dipterists Forum promoting the study of Diptera (flies). They produce a Bulletin twice a year (readable) and a Journal (too technical for me). For more information visit www.dipteristsforum.org.uk
Just how many species of flies in Horndean apart from mosquitoes, bluebottles and craneflies ? This page illustrates some local discoveries in the last 10 years. Some are fairly rare, many are quite photogenic. We are no doubt under-recorded in this area but this makes a start to taking a closer look at whats buzzing around !

Two species of flies that have been frequently seen this spring in our garden and especially at Dell Piece West are the Bee Fly and a Hover fly that looks remarkably like a bumble bee.

Bee-Fly Bombylius major Family Bombyliidae These amazing flies were seen from the end of March onwards, easily recognised by the brown front edges of the wings, furry body and the long pointed proboscis. This specimen was photographed in our garden on the 8th April 2008 and was quite happy to 'pose' for a close up. They remind me of a Harrier jump jet but are often well camouflaged as they sun themselves on a bare patch of soil in early spring. The larvae live as parasites in the nests of mining bees which are fairly common in the area.

Hover fly Volucella bombylans Family Syrphidae This specimen was photographed on the 8th June at DPW and looked remarkably like a white-tailed bumble bee. What is remarkable to me is that the same species can mimic the red-tailed bumble bee. I suppose it is a form of defence but it would be interesting to know what the genuine article thinks of this mimicry. The larvae apparently live as scavengers in wasps' nests.

The Hoverflies are one of the largest and most distinctive group of flies. More than 260 species have been recorded in Britain. Many species are banded with yellow and black and mimic bees and wasps but without the sting ! Most can be identified with the help of one of many identification guides.

The simplest (and cheapest) is the BBC Wildlife magazine Pocket Guide No.10 "Hoverflies and their relatives" (2004)
There are two books devoted to Hoverflies.
1. "Hoverflies" by Francis S Gilbert, Naturalists' Handbooks 5 (1993 under ten pounds) gives an excellent introduction to a study of hoverflies, good for identification of UK species and
2. "British Hoverflies" by Alan Stubbs (2nd Edn 2002)is a complete illustrated identification guide. Both these guides are well illustrated by Steven Kalk. The second guide is published by the British Entomological and NH Society
Most of the species shown here were photographed at Dell Piece West or in the garden where they are particularly attracted to the pond area with Water Mint, Umbellifers and Marsh Woundwort.

Gallery of Hoverflies frequently seen in Horndean
Volucella species (1.to 5.)
(1) and (2) Pellucid hoverfly Volucella pellucens seen in our wild garden on water mint flowers and on bramble flowers at Catherington Down, both August 2005
(3) and (4) Bumblebee hoverfly Volucella bombylans There are varieties that mimic the species of bumblebee frequent in the area, often difficult to distinguish from a distance whether a fly or a bee. (5) Belted or hornet hoverfly Volucella zonaria The largest and most spectacular British hoverfly seen in our garden in 1999 on a flower of water mint. All Volucella are fast flyers and do not settle for long.
(6) to (8) Brindled hoverfly Helophilus pendulus. Taken in the wild garden in August and September 1999 (Fujochrome) and the mating pair were taken in April 2002. Notable for the vertical stripes on the thorax.
(9) Long-bodied hoverfly Sphaerophoria scripta taken in The Holt on 23rd June 2008.
(10) Ornate hoverfly Xanthogramma pedissequum, seen at Dell Piece West in June 2005.
(11) Yellow-belted hoverfly Chrysotaxem bicinctum seen at Dell Piece West on 30th May 2008. This species has, in common with the Ornate hoverfly a distinctive dark front wing edge.
(12) Whit-striped hoverfly Dasysyrphus albostriatus (?) seen at Dell Piece West, May 2003
(13) Undecided but possibly another Chrysotaxum sp. seen in Blendworth June 2003, making a good attempt to mimic a wasp.
(14) Sometimes known as the Marmalade hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus, this specimen seen along a hedgerow in Blendworth in November 2005, seen often abundantly across the area throughout the year.
(15) Not certain but believe this is Epistrophe nitidicollis but could be a species of Syrphus. Seen in mid-June 2008.
(16) False dronefly Myathropa florea. This magnificent specimen was sunning itself at Dell Piece West on 24th June 2008.

V.pellucens	V.pellucens	V.bombylans	V.bombylans
V.zonaria	H.pendulus	H.pendulus	H.pendulud (mating)
S.scripta	X.pedissequum	C.bicinctum	D.albostriarus (?)
Chrysotaxum sp(?)	E.balteatus	E.nitidicollis	M.florea

The larvae of this family are living parasites in mostly other insects. There are two good examples in Horndean, one of which is quite rare.

(click on thumbnail images to view the fly gallery)

Ladybird Fly

Ladybird Fly

A Tachinid Fly

A Tachinid Fly

There is no shortage of Crane-flies in Horndean, the commonest species being Tipula oleracea seen almost everywhere in September. There has been another species, the Spotted Crane-fly Nephrotoma appendiculata seen in the hedgerows in mid-summer, the specimen shown was on the Woodhouse Lane hedgerow.

Striped Crane Fly Nephrotoma appendiculata

Crane Fly Tipula oleracea

CALLIPHORIDAE and MUSCIDAE
Blow-flies, House-flies and others. Many are common or species look alike. Here are shown some of the very common nuisances and others that in the late autumn are frequently seen sunning themselves on the last leaves on the hedgerows or on their favourite - ivy.

Bluebottles

Greenbottle

Volucella sp ?