The Muscidae are a highly diverse family including some large and noticeable species, such as Mesembrina meridiana and Phaonia valida, the well-known Musca domestica, and some confusion species with other calypterate families, like the false greenbottles in genus Neomyia.
Many people have heard of house flies and may know a few of the more prominent species.
Steven Falk, Mike Ashworth and James McGill will be tutoring the course and introducing the participants to British Muscidae, which currently comprises 293 species in 40 genera. Illustrated draft keys to genera (based on Stuart Ball’s key) and species (by James McGill) will be provided and will be the main texts for the workshop, supported by Steven’s online Flickr site which provides detailed images plus species accounts for most species.
Example Timetable
Friday
Introductory lecture on ecology and habitats of Muscidae (Steven Falk). Demonstration of Steven’s Flickr site.
Saturday
Introductory lecture to the identification of tribes and genera of Muscidae (Mike Ashworth), with further information from James McGill on the current draft muscid keys. The rest of the day will be given over to practical identification of specimens.
Sunday
Practical identification of specimens.
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