Cylindromyia bicolor new to Britain

Just a quick note to say that Cylindromyia bicolor, a very distinctive tachinid, has been seen a few times this year at Rainham Marshes – the original Facebook post is here and a follow-up here.

Unlike other Cylindromyia species it has no black tip to the abdomen so is very easy to identify even in the field. They are fairly common in mainland Europe so it wasn’t a surprise when one was reported but it is all part of a general spread north of a lot of phasiine tachinids, as the climate warms.