Trupanea stellata

This attractive little fly came to light in a lowland meadow restoration (ex-arable). I think the differences in wing pattern from the rarer Trupanea amoena are clear enough for examination of the aculeus but it seemed a waste not to check this too. The pair of setae on each side near the apex were hard to see, only visible at high magnification and even then difficult to see on both sides as they barely protruded from the edges. The RES guide shows these as being further apart in amoena.

female Trupanea stellata showing wing and aculeus (including close-up of apex), Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 11th July 2025