All images on this website have been taken in Leicestershire and Rutland by NatureSpot members. We welcome new contributions - just register and use the Submit Records form to post your photos. Click on any image below to visit the species page. The RED / AMBER / GREEN dots indicate how easy it is to identify the species - see our Identification Difficulty page for more information. A coloured rating followed by an exclamation mark denotes that different ID difficulties apply to either males and females or to the larvae - see the species page for more detail.
Flies
True flies (order Diptera) are an immense group with over 100,000 known species. They all have their hind pair of wings reduced to pin-shaped structures called halteres which act as gyroscopes to maintain balance in flight. Most feed on liquids, including nectar and blood.
The Dipterist's Forum offers a huge range of support for those interested in this group.
The families in the gallery below represent flies that are in the dipteran sub-orders Brachycera and Cyclorrhapha which are 'higher' flies, meaning later to evolve than the Nematocera which are displayed in the Craneflies, Gnats & Midges gallery. All families are displayed in taxonomic order. Note that Hoverflies (Syrphidae family) are displayed in a separate gallery.
Diptera.info - a forum site with some photos but best used to get identification help. Just upload an image and be surprised how quickly you get a response.
Fly anatomy -a fascinating and interactive guide to the technical bits that make up a fly! If you're serious about identifying flies it is necessary to understand the terms used.
British Soldierflies and Their Allies (BENHS) Alan Stubbs, Martin Drake: a Field Guide to the Larger British Brachycera
Blowflies - Olga Sivell. A superb and comprehensive RES key and guide to UK blowflies (Calliphoridae, Polleniidae, Rhiniidae)
If you know of other websites or books that you would recommend, do let us know: info@naturespot.org
Tabanidae - Horse flies
These are large flies which can give a painful bite. Adult horse flies feed on nectar and sometimes pollen but females require a blood meal for reproduction. Males lack the necessary mouth parts for blood feeding. Most female horse flies feed on mammal blood, but some species are known to feed on birds, amphibians or reptiles. Unlike insects which surreptitiously puncture the skin with needle-like organs, horse flies have tiny, serrated mandibles which they use to rip and/or slice flesh apart.