Return to Diptera Index | Insect Index

Hoverflies (Syrphidae), tribe Syrphini

Moderate size hoverflies, typically with wasp-like markings. Larvae predatory, often on aphids.

Chrysotoxum bicinctum (Linnaeus, 1758)

Cambridge, Barnwell East LNR TL480583: 8 Jul 2008 Strikingly marked with just two yellow bands, and the characteristic long antennae of the genus Feeding on wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) NBN Atlas. Enlarged photo

Chrysotoxum cautum (Harris, [1776])

Family: Syrphidae Coldham's Common, Cambridge TL474584: 14 Jun 2016 See notes on C. verralli below. NBN Atlas

Chrysotoxum festivum (Linnaeus, 1758)

Cambridge, Barnwell East LNR TL479583: 7 Jul 2015 The yellow bars are curved at the outer ends - in the similar C. vernale they are almost straight NBN Atlas.

Chrysotoxum verralli Collin, 1940

	Cambridge, garden: 26 Jul 2001 Genus has distinctive long antennae Distinguished from C. elegans by a narrow parallel dark band at the front of T2, Chris Raper says C. elegans is larger and darker. C. cautum has antenna segment 1 shorter than 2, in C. verralli it is equal or longer (inset). Also C. cautum females have longer hair on the thorax than the thin dusting here.
	Second image: Cambridge, Barnwell East LNR TL 480583: 8 Jul 2008 NBN Atlas.

Dasysyrphus albostriatus (Fallén, 1817)

Cambridge, garden: 3 Jun 2016 Bars on T3 and T4 are swept back (they may join in the middle). Long dark stigma on wings, grey lines on thorax. Woodland edges. Widespread in England, scattered in Scotland. NBN Atlas.

Epistrophe diaphana (Zetterstedt, 1843)

Cambridge, Coldham's Common TL472586: 10 Jun 2016 Markings are similar to the common Syrphus spp. but the yellow bands are broader and tend towards orange. Yellow bands are clearly truncated by black margins at the sides. Face yellow, antennae dark. Woodland edges and nearby meadows, often (as here) on hogweed. Generally a southern species, some signs of northward spread. NBN Atlas.

Epistrophe eligans (Harris, 1780)

(l) Cambridge, garden: 22 Apr 2001, Male. (r) 18 Apr 2009, Female. Abdomen pattern of 2 triangles on T2, narrow band T3, all dark T4 is distinctive. Females have more yellow and the T2 band may join as shown (r). One of the first hoverflies to appear in Spring. 10mm long NBN Atlas. Enlarged photo

Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776)

Cambridge, garden: (l) 30 Jun 2002, male (r) 29 Jul 2001, male" A very numerous species in Britain augmented by swarms from the continent Flock on favourite flowers, which include common poppy, Eschscholzia, fennel and convolvulus Double dark stripes on each tergite are distinctive, but the colouration and size are quite variable Up to 11mm long, similar to Common Wasp. NBN Atlas.

Eupeodes corollae (Fabricius, 1794)

Cambridge, garden: 18 Jul 2001, Male The spectacle-bars on T3 & T4 are not connected on all males. (On females the spots are distinct.) 9mm long. Synonym: Metasyrphus corollae NBN Atlas.

Eupeodes luniger (Meigen, 1822)

Cambridge, garden: 20 Apr 2002, Female. Comma-shaped markings on T3 & T4 don't reach edge of abdomen (distinguishes from female E. corollae) 8mm long. Synonym: Metasyrphus luniger NBN Atlas.

More Syrphini |

Return to Diptera Index | Insect Index