DESCRIPTION: Length up to 12mm. A striking Tachnid Fly with an iridescent thorax and abdomen of brassy green and reddish-brown. These areas are covered by a series of stiff, black hairs with 4 rows found behind the suture line on the thorax. BEHAVIOUR: Adults feed on pollen and nectar whilst the parasitic larvae feed on caterpillars. Males like to rest in on sheltered tree-trunks or on areas out in full sun. DISTRIBUTION: Well distributed throughout southern England in the right habitat, becoming scarcer in northern areas. HABITAT: Woodland edges, hedgerows and nearby grassland. PERIOD: A springtime species seen from April to June. |
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