The Society for the study of flies (Diptera)
Affiliated to the British Entomological and Natural History Society (BENHS)
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#1 2008-07-10 22:21:57
- stuart
- Administrator
- Name: Stuart Ball
- Registered: 2007-04-21
- Posts: 90
Recording Cheilosia larvae from thistles
On the way to and from the Dipterists Summer Field Meeting in Aviemore, Alan, Roger and myself did not have particularly good weather through Scotland's Southern Uplands, so we spent some time attacking thistles to record Cheilosia albipila and C. grossa larvae.
I took the opportunity to take some photos of the process and also kept some specimens of larvae to photograph in detail. I have put together a note on the techniques of finding and identifying these larvae.
Download it here (PDF file, 1.1Mb).
We would encourage other recorders to check thistle patches for larvae. This is much easier way to find these two very early species which are often overlooked.
Stuart
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#2 2008-07-11 18:38:31
- haematocephalus
- DF Members
- Name: Martin Harvey
- From: Buckinghamshire
- Registered: 2008-02-27
- Posts: 14
Re: Recording Cheilosia larvae from thistles
Excellent, thanks Stuart et al.
Martin
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#3 2008-07-17 21:15:23
- Judy Webb
- Committee
- Name: Judith Webb
- Registered: 2008-02-21
- Posts: 95
Re: Recording Cheilosia larvae from thistles
This is a very interesting and useful article, but the big question I have is - does this kill the thistles or can they always re-grow from such destruction? I would like to preserve the marsh thistles on a site, though I'm not concerned about the spear thistles.
Also, are any other species of thistles used, e.g. woolly thistle?
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