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Violet Black-legged Robberfly Dioctria atricapilla Meigen 1804

Dioctria atricapilla
  • Cambridge, Coldham's Common TL474583. 14 June 2016.
  • Family: Asilidae
  • Robber flies have hard piercing mouthparts and prey on insects, often parasitic wasps.
  • Common up to Yorkshire.
  • NBN Atlas

Common Red-legged Robberfly Dioctria rufipes (De Geer, 1776)

Dioctria rufipes
  • Cambridge, Byron's Pool TL437548. 26 May 2015.
  • Family: Asilidae
  • Recorded prey includes parasitic wasps, sawflies and empidid flies.
  • NBN Atlas

Common Awl Robberfly Neoitamus cyanurus (Loew, 1849)

Neoitamus cyanurus
  • Cambridge, 7 Jul 2018.
  • Family: Asilidae
  • Takes a broad spectrum of insect prey.
  • NBN Atlas

Broad Centurion Chloromyia formosa (Scopoli, 1763)

Chloromyia formosa
  • Cambridge 3 Jun 2002.
  • Family: Stratiomyidae
  • This is a male (like in Syrphidae, the eyes meet). Females have greenish abdomen
  • The eyes looked red to the naked eye - don't know why they photograph as green
  • NBN Atlas

Black Colonel Odontomyia tigrina (Fabricius, 1775)

Odontomyia tigrina
  • Cambridge, Barnwell East LNR TL479582. 6 Jun 2018.
  • The only medium-sized British soldierfly with a more or less completely blackish body.
  • Mostly found in coastal grazing marsh, but also inland in association with swampy water margins and ditches.
  • Adults may be found on umbelliferous flowers.
  • NBN Atlas

Four-barred Major Oxycera rara (Scopoli, 1763)

Oxycera rara
  • Cambridge, garden. 17 Jun 2016.
  • Mostly found in wetter areas. Larvae live in damp moss.
  • NBN Atlas

Three-lined Soldier Oxycera trilineata (Linnaeus, 1767)

Oxycera trilineata
  • Cambridge, Stourbridge Common, TL472599. 14 Jul 2015.
  • One of a small colony in a pool of damp mud enriched with organic matter of bovine origin.
  • NBN Atlas

Twin-spot Centurion Sargus bipunctatus Scopoli, 1763

Sargus bipunctatus
  • Cambridge 30 Sep 2000.
  • Tentatively identified as S. bipunctatus female by the orange-pink markings at the base of the abdomen.
  • NBN Atlas

Little Snipe-fly Chrysopilus asiliformis Preyssler, 1791

Chrysopilus asiliformis
  • Male, Cambridge, 2 July 2015.
  • Family: Rhagionidae
  • Female is much broader bodied.
  • Found in various habitats including scrublands and garden vegetation.
  • The larvae are presumed to develop in soil.
  • NBN Atlas

Black Snipe-fly Chrysopilus cristatus (Fabricius, 1775)

Chrysopilus cristatus
  • Cambridge, Perse Girls School Reserve, TL446570. 21 June 2016.
  • Family: Rhagionidae
  • Found in damp shady places, often near woodland or ponds.
  • Carnivorous, catching other small creatures that pass its perching spot.
  • The larvae live in leaf mould and are also carnivorous.
  • Very widespread. NBN Atlas

Twin-lobed deerfly Chrysops relictus Meigen, 1820

Chrysops relictus
  • Cambridge, Barnwell East LNR TL479582. 29 July 2014. Female.
  • Family: Tabanidae
  • Females suck the blood of grazing animals and photographers, and can give a painful bite. Males feed on flower pollen.
  • Larvae feed upon organic matter in damp soils.
  • The "lobes" of the English name are the dark shapes at the front of the abdomen, partly hidden by the wings
  • NBN Atlas
  • Enlarged view

Thereva nobilitata (Fabricius, 1775)

Thereva nobilitata
  • Cambridge, 13 Jul 2015
  • Family: Therividae (Stiletto flies)
  • Larvae omnivorous in leaf litter
  • Tentative identification: dissection is needed for certainty
  • NBN Atlas
  • Enlarged view

Bee-Fly Bombylius major Linnaeus, 1758

Bombylius major Bombylius major Bombylius major

Cambridge, 30 Mar - 4 Apr 2002.

Family: Bombyliidae.

On a cool but sunny spring morning this insect (left and centre) was alternating short feeding forays on forget-me-not Myosotis and grape hyacinth Muscari, where it hovered and fed through its proboscis (right) - with rest breaks on nearby foliage plants, seen left on Oxalis.

The one on the right shows how much the body size is exaggerated by the hairs, as well as highlighting the proboscis.

"The larvae of this species attack grubs of solitary bees and wasps in their underground nests"—Chinery

NBN Atlas

Polyporivora ornata (Meigen, 1838)

Polyporivora ornata
  • Cambridge, 16 Jun 2001, on pear tree. Female.
  • Family: Platypezidae
  • Recognizable as a member of Polyporivora by the broad build and extensive silvery markings on both abdomen and thorax.
  • Larvae feed on polypore fungus, especially the Turkey Tail Trametes versicolor
  • NBN Atlas

Poecilobothrus nobilitatus (Linnaeus, 1767)

Poecilobothrus nobilitatus
  • Cambridge (Stourbridge Common TL473599), 14 Jul 2015
  • Family: Dolichopodidae
  • Only males have the white wing-tips, which enhance their complicated courtship displays.
  • NBN Atlas

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