@dipteristsforum
The society aims to promote the study, recording and conservation of true flies (Diptera). Our focus is on the British Isles, but we foster links with dipterists throughout Europe and further afield. https://dipterists.org.uk/home
Norellia spinipes on a Daffodil
Norellia spinipes on Daffodils at Goblin Combe nr Bristol y'day. New for me. c10 incl several pairs in cop.
@dipteristsforum.bsky.social
A Photographic Guide to the Flies of Britain & Ireland, Falk, Ashton, Dimond & Creed 2026, photo of front cover.
A Photographic Guide to the Flies of Britain & Ireland, Falk, Ashton, Dimond & Creed 2026, photo of pages 250, 251.
A fantastic piece of work, a superb guide to the marvellous diversity of diptera in these islands.
And I'm very happy to have contributed a couple of photos: see my Colobaea bifasciella on p. 251.
@dipteristsforum.bsky.social
What fun! The height of celebrity and much deserved 👏
I’m a @thetimes.com crossword clue!
Now you must all buy the book and learn about these amazing insects 🪰😎🤓
@dipteristsforum.bsky.social @dipterists.bsky.social
Blossoms are starting to appear now it's nearly March - time to spot your first Dark-edged Bee-fly. Find out more about bee-flies in our new #FliesofBritainandIreland - out now!!! bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @georgemcgavin.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
A Dark-edged Bee-fly sat on a leaf, basking in sunshine - library photo by @kitenet.bsky.social
Bee-flies are go! A 1st #BeeFlyWatch record for 2026 is in, from east Surrey on 26 Feb. Look out for more during warm & sunny spells over coming weeks, & please send in sightings, via iRecord if possible. Full details on the @dipteristsforum.bsky.social website: dipterists.org.uk/bee-fly-watch
@dipteristsforum.bsky.social First Tephritid of the year today here in S. Hants, Tephritis cometa in the garden.
'Bridled' Guillemot
Heleomyza serrata
Tephrochlamys rufiventris
Gymnomus caesius
Nice morning at Bempton Cliffs...birds were good, spiny-winged flies were better! 😀 Hundreds of Heleomyza serrata, Tephrochlamys rufiventris, Gymnomus caesius and more on handrails by the cliff edge. Always worth having a few pots in the pocket. 😉 @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @ynuorg.bsky.social
1st Eudasyphora cyanella fly of the year, seen 22/02/26 Tamworth, #Staffs @ukmuscidae.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #Muscidae #Diptera
Things significantly improving in the insect world...Melinopterus prodromus, Oecothea fenestralis, Piezodorus lituratus (looking rather like some weird sheep?!) and Scathophaga furcata at Cali Heath @yorkswildlife.bsky.social reserve today. @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @ynuorg.bsky.social
Great images Ian!
What better for #FlyFriday than a phantastic phebruary phorid lurking outside a rabbit burrow at @yorkswildlife.bsky.social Cali Heath reserve in East Yorkshire, UK today?! @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
Love a good phorid!
Calliphora vicina (Calliphoridae) female. Yellowish jowls/cheeks and dark beard. 20/2/2026 Topsham, Devon.
Calliphora vomitoria (Calliphoridae) female. greyish jowls/cheeks and orange beard. 20/2/2026 Topsham, Devon.
Bluebottles from Topsham Cemetery posing helpfully to show differences:
Yellow jowls + dark beard = Calliphora vicina.
Grey jowls + orange beard = Calliphora vomitoria.
@dipteristsforum.bsky.social
THE WAIT IS OVER - We're busy mailing out copies of our new guide to #FliesofBritainandIreland to all those who pre-ordered. Order your copy here bit.ly/4dqQI8Z @rdimond.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social
Fantastic! Really looking forward to the Muscid Workshop 🪰
Roger Morris and I are picking out Muscidae from the British collection ahead of the upcoming @dipteristsforum.bsky.social field course for a photo shoot!
Trying to get those awkward features imaged to aid the keys and (hopefully) identifications
Calliphora vicina, the Peanut Fly, making use of the feeders at @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Makes a change from the usual Paridae. 😄 @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @yorkswildlife.bsky.social
🎶She comes in colors ev'rywhere
She combs her hair
She's like a rainbow🎶 Some more Fly Themed Valentine's for YOUR Fly Valentine! ❤️ #Diptera #FliesAreAwesome
This wonderful publication has just dropped through the letter box, full of great pieces including the Presidential address by Nick Owens 'How wildflowers work: an entomologists view'. Fantastic organisation producing great work 👏 @norfolknats.bsky.social
Just 3 days left to get your hands on a copy of our new guide to #FliesofBritainandIreland at the pre-pub price bit.ly/4dqQI8Z – delivery expected to us by 21 Feb 2026 @rdimond.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @gailashton.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social
Lovely find. Our field meetings always turn up something exciting!
Dorsal macro of the head of a small yellow and black fly.
Lateral macro of a small mostly yellow fly with black markings and setae.
Ventral macro of a small mostly yellow fly.
Dorsal macro of a small, mostly yellow, fly with black markings including longitudinal stripes on the thorax and black setae.
A nice little Chlorops from Waitby Greenriggs Nature Reserve, Cumbria, collected on the @dipteristsforum.bsky.social summer 2024 meeting. Awaiting confirmation but seems to be C. geminatus, a species not on the UK list
The collections at @nhm-london.bsky.social are full of glorious specimens esp the Flies. But they also come with lots of extra information
Roger Crosskey wrote down his feelings 50 years ago about this species complex - his frustration evident
@dipteristsforum.bsky.social @dipterists.bsky.social
REMINDER: The deadline to apply for Fly School is 28 Feb.
Visit dipterists.org/fly_school.h... for info & application.
Photo by @bertonemyia.bsky.social
As requested by many, here's the link to our YouTube channel with the recordings from the excellent Dipterist Day 2025 in Cambridge youtube.com/playlist?lis...
@davebriceflies.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @lancefly.bsky.social @naturebureau.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social Please share 🙏
Loving that reference!
In the legendary song by Dumpy’s Rusty Nuts called Box Hill or Bust - they sang “Boxhill, Boxhill, ‘ere we come / I ain’t ‘appy ’til I’ve reached a ton”
Maybe they meant a ton of flies such as this horsefly (Haematopota pluvialis) Coll in 1952 🙌👍
@nhm-london.bsky.social @nationaltrust.org.uk
A patch of greeny-grey lichen, Physcia adscendens.
A reminder for members & those with a particular interest in lichens, that there is an NNNS walk at Houghton Hall on Sunday 8th Feb @10:30, led by county lichen recorder
@robyaxley.bsky.social
Park in the main car park, PE31 6TY. For full event details: norfolknaturalists.org.uk/wp/events-pa...
252 pages of back issue diptera excitement (Dipterist Digest Vol 30 pts 1 and 2) now available to download free from our website dipterists.org.uk/news/dipteri...
World class science in action! @britentsoc.bsky.social @royentsoc.bsky.social @flygirlnhm.bsky.social @sjthomasbotany.bsky.social
