The Banded General, Stratiomys potamida

[nomad]

 
The Banded General, Stratiomys potamida Meigen 1822 of the family Stratiomyidae, although a widespread species of England and Wales, it is usually a rather local and scarce Diptera. It occurs in a variety of wetland areas. It has increased its distribution in recent years and was regarded as a rarity in the 19th century. S. potamida might be mistaken at first glance for a small version of the much rarer Clubbed General, Stratiomys chamaeleon, of which  in few localities both occur together. A closer inspection of S. potamida will reveal a slightly curved or straight  yellow thorax scutellum, which is V shaped in S. chamaeleon. The abdomen of S. potamida has a complete lower band on tergite 3, which are wedge- shaped separated  spots in S. chamaeleon. The female of both S. chamaeleon and S. potamida has yellow ring around the outer eye, that is absent in the male. At Dry Sandford Pit in Oxfordshire, England, this species is not common, a recent search of Dry Sandford Pit resulted in a single individual of both sexes of S. potamida, a species that had eluded me on two previous visits.

Below. S. potamida Male. Dry Sandford Pit, July.



Below. S. potamida female. Dry Sandford Pit, July.