Suillia variegata

Description

You can easily tell apart flies of the Heleomyzidae family by the regularly spaced spines on the fore edge of the wings. Suillia variegata has a hairy thorax, and wings with a small pale area on the tip after a darker patch.

Identification difficulty
ID guidance
  • fronto-orbital plate well demarcated and oblique, not fixed against eye margin
  • wings patterned but with white tips
  • sternopleura hairy
  • arista plumose
Habitat

It is found in various habitats, but adults are often found in the vicinity of fungi and decay suitable for the larvae.

When to see it

All year round with peaks in April/May and July/August.

Life History

Larvae feed on mushrooms and on decaying matter.

UK Status

It is fairly frequent and can be found throughout Britain but seems to be more frequent in the south.

VC55 Status

Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species profile

Species group:
Flies
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Diptera
Family:
Heleomyzidae
Records on NatureSpot:
15
First record:
13/01/2011 (Calow, Graham)
Last record:
24/06/2023 (Graves, Hazel)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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