Southern Marsh Orchids

Southern Marsh Orchids

Friday, 8 August 2014

Spotted crane fly at Forest Farm

Lunchtime stroll around Forest Farm today and stumbled across these - almost stepped on the crane fly!
Having never seen one of these before, I have been scanning images on the internet and now assume it to be a Spotted Crane fly.


Further down the path I spotted this, which following the same process as above I assume to be a Scorpion Fly. It flew away before I had a chance to grab any other shots.

I would be grateful for confirmation of these IDs. Amazing what you can find when you're not looking for them!

Howard

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10 comments:

  1. tomcat8 August 2014 at 21:58

    I would suggest you are correct on both counts - Spotted Cranefly, Nephrotoma appendiculata and Scorpion Fly most likley Panorpa communis

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  2. Howard Burt10 August 2014 at 23:39

    Thanks tomcat. I've looked these up and they do seem to fit the bill nicely.

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  3. VC41Moths11 August 2014 at 14:55

    What makes you say it the Scorpion fly is communis rather than germanica? I thought it was almost impossible to separate the females of these species. I would also be interested to know how you get to Nephrotoma appendiculata without a side view of the thorax.

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    Replies
    1. Howard Burt11 August 2014 at 17:31

      Hi Dave. As you know I tend to base my IDs on visual appearance and image comparison and I have to admit that I opted for communis on the basis that I thought the spots on the wings were a better match for this species than for germanica.

      Howard

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    2. VC41Moths12 August 2014 at 09:17

      Colin Plant's key to Scorpion Flies implies that the wing markings are too variable to be diagnostic. Keys can of course be wrong!

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  4. VC41Moths11 August 2014 at 15:05

    In fact having keyed it out, I'm pretty sure the Cranefly is Nephrotoma flavipalpis - the combination of dark stigma and the colour of the head being diagnostic.

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    Replies
    1. Howard Burt11 August 2014 at 18:03

      Ok you've got me on that one! I hadn't noticed the dark stigma against the ground colour, but I still wouldn't say that the head colour is the 'diagnostic' yellow. However, I concede the extent of the colour is more extensive than that shown in images for appendiculata and so, on reflection, I agree that flavipalpis is a better match.

      Howard

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    2. VC41Moths12 August 2014 at 09:18

      The head isn't black, which it would be on the other species with a black stigma!

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    3. Colin D8 June 2016 at 00:53

      agreed flavipalps Female Scorps cant be done in the field http://www.ukwildlife.net/insects/mecoptera/panorpa_communis.html

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  5. GMT15 August 2014 at 17:48

    Yes the 'diagnostic' yellow used to ID this species in the key for Nephrotoma is a bit misleading, as it's really more of a reddish orange. I've seen a few this week and all have had the same head colour as Howard's specimen.

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