A few miscellaneous fly photos from La Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur (Buenos Aires, Argentina) taken last March. I don’t have IDs except provisionally to family (let’s face it—flies are hard!).
I suppose something in the Tachinidae, based on the black and white striped coloration and distinct abdominal setae.
Definitely a robber fly (family Asilidae), but which one?
I suppose this is some kind of bottle fly (family Calliphoridae).
Nice eyes!
Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 20011
Beetles In The Bush 
Excellent photography, and I didnt know flies were so colourful.
Thank you!
Beautiful photographs. All these flies look so neat and clean!
Thank, Ani. It’s funny you say clean, because I was really bugged by the dust particles on them (especially the robber fly). I thought about PS’ing them to clean them up, but there was too much dirt (I did clean the eyes, though).
Now that you pointed it out, it is beginning to bother me too! But I think it’s okay as long as the dust is natural 🙂
It’s pretty hard to find insects without debris on them. If there’s just a little bit I’ll clean them up, but if it is extensive, or mixed in with setae (making cleanup in PS much more complicated), I’ll just take care of the eyes and be done with it.
Man, it’s cross-over Friday apparently… Alex is blogging beetles, you’re blogging flies; I feel like I should do an ant post to complete the triangle!
I tried keying each of the flies to subfamily/tribe/genus (your family IDs are correct) and each one got stumped by the wrong angle on the 1st or 2nd couplet… I’m pretty sure the tachinid is in the tribe Dexiini based on the long legs and overall shape, but that’s just a gestalt guess. Great pictures though!
One time Alex did a Friday beetle post and I did an ant photo the same day.
Since Alex always does beetles on Friday, we should team up to complete the triad. I’ll work on getting material for a fly post (going to Arkansas this weekend) – if you get something for ants, let me know. We’ll conspire 🙂
Crud. Now I’m going to have to come up with a new beetle photo for this Friday!
So I suppose the shift is on then! Now to find an interesting ant to photograph…
Well, I’ve already got the fly!
Ha! I’ve just upped the ante with a rather nice beetle for Friday. A tribute to Eisner.
This is gonna be fun.
Morgan? Are you following this?
Got the messages loud and clear! Better get my dig on and find some killer ants!
That robber fly is probably belongs to the subfamily asilinae, known as “bearded” or “giant” robber flies depending on the genus.
Thanks, Roy – I figured as much, so it’s nice to get a confirming opinion. This one was a little on the small side for the subfamily – reminds me of Efferia.
Gorgeous fly photos…..robber flies are one of my favorite insects to photograph. In fact flies in general are some of my favorites! They are beautiful, big eyed insects that come in a wide variety of sizes, and colors. With the possible exception to the house fly……
Thank you, Shelly. Hard to pick anything but robbers as the most charismatic group of flies!
Tha’s a spiffy tachinid — but then, most of that family are.
I only wish there weren’t so much debris on the leaf – a nice, clean, green surface would make a nice backdrop for the striking white/black/red of the fly.
The calliphorid appears to be a screwworm fly (Cochliomyia sp.), maybe C. macellaria.
Hi Ben – thanks for the ID.