ID Guide - Beris

This genus of soldierflies are all of modest size with an elliptical abdomen. The abdomen is either blackish or mainly orange but without a striking pattern. They also have 6 spines projecting backwards from the scutellum. Note that flies in the related Chorisops genus have 4 spines.

There are 6 known species in Britain. It is not known if all can be found in Leicestershire and Rutland and the status descriptions are based on national records.

Species	Abdomen	Legs	Status
B. chalybata	black	dull orange	common
B. fuscipes	black	dark with orange on tips of femora + base of tibiae	uncommon
B. geniculata	black	dark all over	common
B. morrisii	black	clear yellow	uncommon
B. clavipes	orange	hind tibiae orange	rare
B. vallata	orange	hind tibiae half black / half orange	common

Note: as with many species there can be variation amongst specimens.