2023 April 17

 

   Jeremy Tatum shows a photograph of a bibionid fly from Saanich today.  Bibionids flies are sometimes rather inappropriately called March flies, although they typically fly in late April, near to St Mark’s Day, April 25, and the more appropriate name is St Mark’s Fly.  The males of many species of flies have eyes that are larger than the eyes of the females. This is particularly marked in the bibionids.  The individual below is a female – which is also indicated by its dark wings.  The species is probably Bibio xanthopus, although out of caution I shall label it just as a bibionid.

Female bibionid fly  (Dip.: Bibionidae)  Jeremy Tatum