The Society for the study of flies (Diptera)

Ctenophoraq ornata larvae have been found in porridge life wet wood mound in beech trees.  Such conditions are rare, hence the need for a fairly large population of old trees.  It is just possible that artificial containers of tree holes could be created by part filling with sawdust, wood fragments and rain water, as has worked successfully for arftficial water-filled rot holes for hoverflies of that habitat.  As yet I am not aware of anyone trying bthis fro porridge constituency medium.  The general need on sites is to try to bridge any generation gaps in continuty of old trees.  The bottom line is that little solid information about the ecological needs of this speciesis available so anyone with a chance to study this species has plenty of scope.

Alan Stubbs