This is a message to my from my friend, biologist Lynn Faust:
Just for fun, am sending you this photo of a cool little fly that put on quite a show for me last May near (not in) the traps in the Smokies. He landed on the roof of my car and proceeding to fan his wings like a peacock and slowly turn and preen. Every time I scared him off with my camera, he circled and returned and spread his wings again. This went on for 30 minutes until I finally needed to leave. I never saw another fly (female) so it was as if he(?) was displaying for me. Of course I did not know what type of fly he was at the time, but just on a guess, googled “peacock fly” and found very similar photos in the Tephritidae family. So, I am asking nothing, just sharing this fun photo since you love flies. Sorry it is not a phorid! Lynn Faust
Actually, it is a ulidiid, not a tephritid, and a very entertaining one! Thanks, Lynn.
It looks very much like a Callopistromyia annulipes. In the gallery of diptera.info are many nice photos of this fly.
yes, for sure that is the genus, but I’d want to know more before committing to a species name. Thanks for commenting.
No doubts, Rudi is right, Callopistromyia annulipes (Ulidiidae: Otitinae: Myennidini)!
Thanks Ruud & Val!
Reblogged this on Mark Solock Blog.