Is this the most charming insect name you’ve ever heard? The Scribbled wingwaver (Herina frondescentiae), one of the aptly named picture-winged flies, does indeed wave its pretty little wings around. Whether this is to attract the attention of other passing wingwavers or to warn off potential predators, I’m not sure, but it certainly attracted my eye.

At just 3mm long, this is one of Britain’s smallest picture-winged flies. The one shown here is a female, which is why she has that large pointy bit on her rear end; it’s for depositing her eggs, possibly in rotting vegetation, but the species’ life cycle seems not to have been investigated fully yet.

According to the Naturespot website, it usually inhabits ‘wet, rush-dominated habitats and brownfield sites’. I found mine during a wander around some local farm fields that have been earmarked for a housing development, though the site is adjacent to an old abandoned railway line so I guess that counts as brownfield. Apparently, the Scribbled wingwaver is quite common throughout Britain, so do keep your eyes peeled for a tiny fly waving its patterned wings at you as you walk by.