Orange-blue Signal Fly - Lamprogaster bicolor

Family Platystomatidae

This page contains pictures and information about Orange-blue Signal Flies that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.


Body length 10mm

We saw a few times three to four of those flies dancing on large gum tree trunk in Karawatha Forest.



Head and thorax of the fly are orange colour with abdomen in dark metallic blue. There are three longitudinal light brown stripes on mesoscutum. Scutellum is yellow in colour. Wings are tinged with orange-yellow, patterned with black spots, leading edge and wing base are orange. Legs are pale orange to brown in colour. Abdomen is dark metallic steel-blue colour.



Pictures were taken in Karawatha Forest during mid summer. From the reference information, this fly is considered as a rare species.

Signal Flies are usually found on tree trunks where may be a place for courtship. Sometimes a small group of them can be found at one point. While walking on those surface, Signal Flies exhibit a characteristic manner of movement, something like dancing in our human eyes. Those movements include rowing or extend of wings, waving of front pair of legs, move forwards and backwards, extend and raise of proboscis.

Reference:
1. The Australian Platystomatidae (Diptera, Schizophora) with a revision of five genera - McAlpine, D.K., 1972, The Australian Museum, p58.