The beholder's eye

By uniqueandlovely

A Giant among flies!

For several years now I have had a 'wish list' of insects I would like to see. Each year I manage to add a few, and each year I manage to cross one or two off. This wish list is fairly comprehensive, and contains some species I know I will have to travel far to see (such as the Checkered skipper butterfly) and some species that I may well find close to where I live, but may not as they are unreliable / or just out of my 'local' range.
This fly Tachina grossa (The large tachnid fly) fits in the latter category as it is a more western UK species and seldom found in Sussex where I live.
Well today, much to my complete surprise I found one!! at Iping common near Midhurst, admittedly on the western edge of Sussex, but only 23 miles from where I live, yipee!!!
At 15 19 mm (0.6 - 0.7 inches) Tachina grossa is one of the biggest flies in Europe. At first glance it has the appearance of a large bumble bee, but is all black with a bright yellow head and very bristly!
As with all Tachnid flies it parasitises the larvae of large lepidoptera such as the Oak egger moth.
I know you may think it is gross, but I think it is wonderful, and there was much rejoicing as I ticked it off my 'to see / photograph' list.

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