Post by leptraps on Nov 1, 2019 4:30:51 GMT -8
As many of you know, I use Bait Traps to collect Lepidoptera. However, Bait Traps also attract Diptera. Diptera are the most frequently collected insects in my Bait Traps by a 50+ to 1 ratio. (That ratio is a good quess only.) Over the years I have taken some stunning flies out of my traps (Both Light and Bait Traps.) Many of those flies I have stuck pins. I have several Schmidt Boxes full of flies. I would like to be able to identify them.
Can anyone recommend a good field guide to the Diptera of North America. Also, how about Wasps, Hornets and Bee's?
In the early 1970's I designed and made my first Bait Traps. I placed several of them high up in the mountains (Little Meadows) NW of Blacksburg, Virginia. (Near Mountain Lake).I found a note stuck on one of my traps from a Randy Stevenberger. He wanted the flies from my traps. After several telephone calls, I agreed to help him with the flies from my traps.
He would bring four(4) glass pickle jars (This is before most of you were born, whole six inch pickles came in Gallon Glass Jars) and a five gallon pail of Alcohol. Add flies and keep them immersed in the Alcohol. When I have then full to call him. Less than a week later he got the call.
He was surprised at the shear volume of flies. He brought four more one gallon jars and more Alcohol.
Randy was employed by a company the processed chickens and was responsible for the sanitary conditions of the facility.
From that mass of Flies, he identified about thirty species.
He came and brought more jars and picked up the full jars. He came for the last time in mid-October. I never heard from him again and his telephone was no longer in working order.
Any help with Field Guides would be appreciated.
Can anyone recommend a good field guide to the Diptera of North America. Also, how about Wasps, Hornets and Bee's?
In the early 1970's I designed and made my first Bait Traps. I placed several of them high up in the mountains (Little Meadows) NW of Blacksburg, Virginia. (Near Mountain Lake).I found a note stuck on one of my traps from a Randy Stevenberger. He wanted the flies from my traps. After several telephone calls, I agreed to help him with the flies from my traps.
He would bring four(4) glass pickle jars (This is before most of you were born, whole six inch pickles came in Gallon Glass Jars) and a five gallon pail of Alcohol. Add flies and keep them immersed in the Alcohol. When I have then full to call him. Less than a week later he got the call.
He was surprised at the shear volume of flies. He brought four more one gallon jars and more Alcohol.
Randy was employed by a company the processed chickens and was responsible for the sanitary conditions of the facility.
From that mass of Flies, he identified about thirty species.
He came and brought more jars and picked up the full jars. He came for the last time in mid-October. I never heard from him again and his telephone was no longer in working order.
Any help with Field Guides would be appreciated.
