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Records on the NBN from iRecord verification.

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There are currently 3440 records held by the scheme across Heleomyzidae and Trixoscelidae. Records mainly come in via two means...either spreadsheet direct to me or via iRecord. So far, over the last couple of years, 3110 records have been entered onto iRecord, verified and are now accessible on NBN. Looking at the map above, if we could only all emulate Laurence Clemons and his Kent coverage...what an effort!!

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Tephrochlaena oraria is a small spiny-winged fly with a strong coastal association. With a single ventral apical bristle on the mid-tibia and a strong bristle on the posterior gena, it keys easily to the heteromyzinae. With the apex of R1 level with the r-m cross vein, it then comes out in a couplet with Tephrochlamys, from which the keys separate it by the presence of a pair of presutural dorsocentral bristles.
Easy! Well, maybe not quite so easy, no...

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Possible Tephrochlamys (?) with a pair of strong presutural dorsocentrals

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I have a couple of heteromyzines, taken at inland sites, which key straight to  the Tephrochlaena/Tephrochlamys couplet, and then to Tephrochlaena due to a pair of strong presutural dorsocentrals, yet are clearly not that species, being slightly larger, with narrower genae and a very different jizz. That got me looking at records of Tephrochlaena oraria from inland sites and it is clear from a couple on iRecord with good photos that others have done the same and followed the key straight to Tephrochlaena, when in fact they have something different. My specimens are now with Duncan Sivell at the NHM and at the moment their identification is uncertain...though they do seem to have consistent features.

So, if you have any specimens of Tephrochlaena oraria from inland sites, I would be very interested to hear from you and either to see any specimens or a good photo. I suspect T. oraria is strictly a coastal species.

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Neoleria propinqua attracted to pig's kidney in a bottle trap

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Neoleria...a reason to get out with the net in winter

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Neoleria...a reason to get out with the net in winter

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The 6 UK species of Neoleria are rarely recorded, but inscripta, propinqua and ruficauda, which have an association with carrion, are probably widespread and not too difficult to find. I put a roadkill deer or badger corpse (something that will last for a while) out in local woodland around the new year and see what turns up. There looks to be a clear succession of Neoleria visiting such corpses, with propinqua a species of winter, ruficauda early spring and inscripta late spring into summer. If a corpse is too much for you (!), then a bottle trap with pig's kidneys or similar over winter will pull in the same species. It would be great to see others give it a go...the distribution of these species is poorly known at the moment.

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Like a few other heleomyzid genera, Suillia are a tricky genus to become familiar with as a few species are rarely encountered. Suillia dumicola, S. flava and S. vaginata are three species which I just do not find, despite collecting fairly regularly through the year via traps and sweeping. If anyone has any specimens of those species they could lend me, so I could grab some photos of features, I would be very grateful. Also, if anyone fancies collecting Suillia more generally and sending me the specimens, that would make some much needed records for the recording scheme. I am hugely grateful to Ryan Mitchell*, Donald Smith and Ali Shuttleworth, who have all sent me good numbers over the last couple of years.

*Ryan is particularly good at collecting Suillia bicolor!

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Oecothea fenestralis...usually to be found lurking around the entrance to rabbit burrows in sandy areas.

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Oecothea fenestralis can be collected by placing a large funnel upside down over rabbit burrows, with a bottle taped on top to collect any flies emerging from the hole via the funnel. It tends to catch any flies present quite quickly, so I just leave it a few hours, then move it to a new hole.

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...to the following, who have submitted a number of records to the scheme: Howard Bentley, John Bratton, Dave Brice, Phil Brighton, Laurence Clemons, John Coldwell, Steve Crellin, Andrew Cunningham, Nicola Garnham, Andrew Halstead, Martin Harvey, Nigel Jones, Ryan Mitchell, Murdo Macdonald, Roger Morris, Ali Shuttleworth, Donald Smith and Rob Wolton.  And to all others who have contributed records, discussion and knowledge about the spiny-winged ones. It's all much appreciated!

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Neoleria inscripta from a roe deer corpse in May 2017

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Suillia variegata...far the most commonly recorded heleomyzid species.