Bristly Bum

This hairy monster of a fly has become a recent common visitor to my garden in Tilehurst (Berks).
I have also noticed it at the school that I work for in Twyford.

It became very accommodating and landed on my one and only Hollyhock as if to say "Do I look good on this".

At first I mistakingly thought that this was some sort of Hoverfly, but on closer inspection of the wing veins, it can be seen that vein 4 bends sharply towards vein 3 and meets at the wing tip. In Hoverflies this vein meets before the wing tip.

Its species name is Tachina fera and it can be found between April and September, mainly in damp places. It is strange that I have only just noticed it and have never seen it around my pond.

Seen 0n 22/08/06 and 26/08/06.