Tristan:

I am trying to figure out what is going on in this picture which shows wing expansion in a Conopid fly - do you have any idea what the structure on the head is?

That is an excellent photo and you found a fly that just eclosed from it’s pupal case. That structure is called the ptilinum, it aids the adult from breaking out of the pupal case. That structure is only used at the time of emergence from the puparium and is membranous sac that inflates and is pumped up with hemolymph using special muscles. After emerging, the fluid and the sac is retracted back in the head and the muscles degenerate.

You got to admit it, flies are pretty darn cool. Or I might just have an affinity towards them…

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