Thread Waisted Fly?? - Physocephala tibialis

Moved

… Aaron Schusteff, 28 December, 2013 - 2:11am

Moved

… roar, 17 August, 2011 - 8:04pm

Species ID?

As far as I know the buds of butterfly weed are pink or orange, not white. This must be a different species of Asclepias, perhaps variegata.
This may not be very important but the fly ID is. I agree with the genus; it has the thickened hind femur of Physocephala, but how did you determine the species? There are seven; I don't know how to tell them apart and have relied on experts so far. Did you use a key or know a special character that identifies this species? It may be right as well as others in the guide, but I fear that too many IDs of this species are just based on a guess.
BTW, it is a very nice photo.

… Beatriz Moisset, 20 June, 2010 - 8:34am

There is a white butterfly weed

and the only species that even came close to what I had on BugGuide was the species I moved it to. If I am wrong, please tell me.

… roar, 20 June, 2010 - 10:35am

Unfortunately I don't know

As I said there are seven species in this genus. I am afraid that there may be more than one mistake in Bugguide pages; but I have no way to know and apparently neither do you nor several other contributors. My philosophy in these cases is to place the image at the lowest level of certainty, the genus in this case, rather than guessing. That is why I ask how the determination was made. If there are already mistakes in the guide the problem keeps snowballing.
For all I know yours could be correct and four or five others could be wrong or vice-versa.
If I can get a dipterologist to take a look at these I will do it.

… Beatriz Moisset, 20 June, 2010 - 10:49am

Moved

Moved from Physocephala.

… roar, 19 June, 2010 - 7:16pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… roar, 19 June, 2010 - 7:13pm

Physocephala or closest kin

… v belov, 19 June, 2010 - 7:05pm

Yes it is

thanks

… roar, 19 June, 2010 - 7:13pm