Syrphid Fly-Brachypalpus femorata - Brachypalpus femorata

Adult Female!

Joy, if you still have this specimen, I suggest that you try to get an image of the head, from the front or the top. If you can clearly display the eye-gap to head-width ratios whenever you are submitting images of flies; you can [sometimes] more easily sex them and it helps with the overall taxon placement also. Of course, the abdomen, thorax and legs are just about as important and sometimes those images are also very badly needed, for the BugGuide. Yes, I keep running into your images and they are always very nice! Thanks

… Bob Biagi, 25 June, 2015 - 3:52pm

Head shot

Hi Bob;
Thanks for your interest and encouragement! I appreciate learning about how specimens are IDed. When I first joined Bug Guide I was stuck on thinking insect identification was made from dried specimens so I took photos of some specimens from my collection (I enjoyed seeing physical details under the microscope)and created illustrations but it seemed that editors preferred outdoor photographs. It was then that I found out how much fun it is to see the details in photos and have enjoyed it ever since. However I continue to collect voucher specimens when possible in hopes that some day I will learn complicated body parts. Entomology is amazing. Gratefully, Joy

… Joy Markgraf, 25 June, 2015 - 6:22pm

Adult Male!

Joy, that is an excellent shot and you can clearly see the thinness of the eye gap and also the kink in the eye angle, just above the antenna. On the females, the eye angle is straight, all the way to the top. Here is an example of a female. NOTE: This image is not yet sexed, but you can obviously see the difference:

I'm very glad to see any of your images and I will try to help, when I can. Thanks

… Bob Biagi, 25 June, 2015 - 6:39pm

Brachypalpus femorata

This is a nice picture of Brachypalpus (Crioprora) femorata. This is about the earliest they will start flying.

The males have enlarged hind femora to grasp tightly onto the female. This trait has evolved multiple times in Syrphidae.

… Kevin Moran, 26 March, 2015 - 6:23pm

Moved

Moved from subgenus Crioprora.

… Kevin Moran, 26 March, 2015 - 6:21pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… Kelsey J.R.P. Byers, 26 March, 2015 - 5:42pm