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Photo#466994
Night Walking Fly - Pollenia - female

Night Walking Fly - Pollenia - Female
Santa Clara, Santa Clara County, California, USA
October 20, 2010
Size: around 10mm
I thought it was interesting because there were more than one of these flies in the area, and I have seen them before in the parking lot at night, just walking around in the median strip between rows of parking. I have seen this walking behavior in a darker color fly of a slightly smaller size that was observed during the daylight hours. It turned out to be a tachinid fly. This one looks like a cluster fly to me. A saw a darker male, but also very hairy. I think it could be the same species.

Images of this individual: tag all
Night Walking Fly - Pollenia - female Night Walking Fly - Pollenia - female Night Walking Fly - Pollenia - female

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

Probably Pollenia
Looks like it has the gold hair of Pollenia and the rest seems to match. It's really difficult to key these to species from photos. One of the characters is a patch of hairs on the bottom of the wing, for example.

 
I'd say Pollenia, too.
.

 
Thanks!
LOL- There is hair everywhere else, so there is probably a hairy patch on the bottom side of the wing. I'm going to assume the male is the same species, without posting it (unless you're interested) It is pretty similar except not as much gold, closer eyes and maybe a bit more compact build. Basically, not as attractive as the female!

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