Rhamphomyia hirtula - the mountain dance-fly - is only found on the highest of the Scottish mountains. It is one of the most vulnerable species in the British Isles with respect to the potential effects of climatic change, in particular to any rise in annual temperatures.  Mountain insects, with their annual life cycles and ability to move to higher altitudes relatively quickly, are likely to be one of the most sensitive indicators of change in upland habitats. This species also has the potential to act as a flagship species for monitoring climate change due to the fact that there is detailed baseline data on distribution and altitude range available from work carried out in the Scottish highlands during the 1990s.

The adult is a typical dance-fly, almost entirelly grey in body colour with long legs and long, narrow wings. males have a club ended abdomen whilst females have a slender tipped abdomen

Biodiversity Action Plan  proposals include survey, which is needed to find any new sites, monitoring is needed to understand the status of the species at existing sites and determine if there has been any change in altitudonal distribution during the past 15 years.  This data is needed to allow reporting against success criteria.

Species Data :   

Flight period - mid June to mid July

Altitudinal range -  800 - 1100m

Known British specimens - about 40

Number of 10Km square records -  6

Vice counties - Argyll, S. Aberdeen, Banff, Easterness, Forfar. 

                                                  Rhamphomyia hirtula