Fascinating fly discovery
July 2013. A new fly species for Britain has been recorded at Field Studies Council's (FSC) Epping Forest field centre recently following an insect conservation course taking place there.
Course tutor Martin Harvey spotted a tiny fly from the ‘scuttle fly' family. He identified it as Phalacrotophora delageae which isn't currently on the British species list.
Martin explains: "As the fly appeared to be new to Britain I sent the specimen to Dr Henry Disney, a leading world authority on the family of this fly, Phoridae, who confirmed the identification. However, Dr Disney also traced a previous record of this species back to Tony Irwin of Norfolk Museums. Tony had found this same species in 2006, but never formally published it as new to the UK. Myself and Tony are now writing up the two records so it can be added to the British list."
Dr Disney also has links with FSC having run another field centre FSC Malham Tarn in Yorkshire, and working as a research fellow for the organisation.
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