Sciomyzidae Snail-killing Fly_Pano-Crop

Photographed on the Monday 07 May 2012.
All flies belong to the Order, Diptera. This fly belongs to the suborder Brachycera (a major suborder of around 120 families, many of which are predators or scavengers) and family Sciomyzidae. Commonly referred to as ‘Marsh Flies’ and in some and this case, ‘Snail-killing Flies’. These flies are common along the edges pf ponds, streams and rivers and often found in marshy areas. It is the larvae that prey on gastropods (slugs and snails) and most are semi-aquatic, aquatic or occasionally terrestrial. In some terrestrial species the penultimate larval form emerges from the host and the final larval form is then known to attack, predate on several snails. Little is known about the life cycle of these flies and their larvae currently. Typically these flies can be seen around the edges of water bodies facing downwards on vegetation. As with most species of insect they will have a preferred station(s) that they hunt from and also areas where they go to rest overnight, as can be seen in this image. This was taken in the Formby mid dunes where there ca often be found wet slacks in some areas that come and go due to the dynamic shifting and changing of dune systems. This fly is possibly Ilione albiseta.

More information can be found here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sciomyzidae
http://bugguide.net/node/view/7740
http://www.naturespot.org.uk/taxonomy/term/19456
http://www.dipteristsforum.org.uk/t3608-Photographic-guides-Tetanocera.html

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From Wildlife: Diptera (Flies)