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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Calyptratae » Oestroidea » Polleniidae » Cluster flies (Pollenia)
Photo#122520
Fly - Pollenia - male
Copyright © 2007 Steve Kortum

Fly - Pollenia - Male
Weldon Spring, St. Charles County, Missouri, USA
June 24, 2007
Size: ~ 12 mm
Fly on a sign. Is this a Tachinidae?
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Contributed by Steve Kortum on 28 June, 2007 - 6:55pm
Last updated 15 February, 2009 - 10:31pm

Thanks!
Are the size of the eyes, whether or not they are touching each other, a general way to differentiate the sexes of flies?
… Steve Kortum, 29 June, 2007 - 4:35pm login or register to post comments

 
Flies' Eyes
Works with syrphids for sure and many others, but I'm not exactly sure which. When in doubt, you can sometimes tell from mating fly photos if the rule applies.
… Ron Hemberger, 29 June, 2007 - 8:10pm login or register to post comments

Not Tachinid
They're spikey, i.e. large, stiff bristles on the abdomen. This is hairy, a Cluster fly.

It's known for golden hair on the thorax. After looking at your image and mine in the thumbnail above, I'm pretty sure yours is male (eyes touching or almost touching at top) and mine in female (smaller, more separated eyes.)
… Ron Hemberger, 29 June, 2007 - 12:45am login or register to post comments

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