Helophilus trivittatus

Last updated

Helophilus trivittatus
Syrphidae - Helophilus trivittatus - male.jpg
Male
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Syrphidae
Genus: Helophilus
Species:
H. trivittatus
Binomial name
Helophilus trivittatus
(Fabricius, 1805)
Synonyms

Helophilus trivittatus is a species of Palearctic hoverfly. [2]

Contents

Etymology

The scientific genus name is composed of the parts helos (ἕλος, gr.), meaning "marsh" and philos (φίλος, gr.) meaning "friend". The species name is composed by "tri" (lat.), meaning "three" and "vitta" (lat.) meaning "band". This name refer to the preference of these insects for moist areas and to the fact that they carry three stripes on the breast shield.

Description

For terms see Morphology of Diptera

Female Helophilus trivittatus.jpg
Female
Male on flower (video, 40s)

Helophilus trivittatus has a wing length of 10.25–12.25 millimetres (0.404–0.482 in). The eyes are separated in both sexes, in the male a little less than in the female. The antennae are black, Face shows a wide yellow longitudinal stripe, with at most a central reddish-brown stripe. [3] On the thorax four narrow pale yellow stripes alternate with three larger dark brown stripes. The drawing of the flattened abdomen is reminiscent of a wasp.

The drawing of the third and fourth segments of the abdomen is different in the two sexes. In the male, only the third segment carries a pale yellow to gray arc line. In the female, such a curve is found on the fourth and the fifth tergite. [4] Tergites 2 and 3 have pale lemon yellow spots, while tergite 4 has white to grey spots. In the females tergite 3 yellow spots touch the front margin. The larva is illustrated by Hartley (1961) [5]

See references for determination. [6] [7] [8] [9]

Distribution

This species is present in most of Europe and in the eastern Palearctic realm. [10] It is widespread from Fennoscandia south to the Mediterranean Basin, and from Ireland east through Europe, Siberia, and the Russian Far East to the Pacific. it is also present in Iran and Afghanistan. [11] It has been observed migrating in Sweden. [12]

Habitat

These hoverflies inhabit wetland, river margins, seasonally flooded grassland and salt-marsh. They are anthropophilic in southern Europe, where it frequents irrigation ditches in farmland. [13]

Biology

The flight period of this species is from May to October. Adults feed on various flowers, including umbellifers, yellow composites, Armeria , Aster , Cakile , Centaurea , Chrysanthemum , Cirsium , Crataegus , Chamaenerion angustifolium , Eryngium , Eupatorium , Euphorbia , Ligustrum , Lychnis , Lythrum , Mentha , Menyanthes , Origanum , Plumbago , Polygonum persicaria , Potentilla , Ranunculus , Rubus fruticosus , Salix and Sorbus . [14] The larva is a detritivore associated with decaying rhizomes of Typha latifolia and with beds of Glyceria maxima .

Related Research Articles

<i>Helophilus hybridus</i> Species of fly

Helophilus hybridus is a hoverfly. It is a Palearctic species.

<i>Leucozona glaucia</i> Species of fly

Leucozona glaucia, the Pale-saddled Leucozona is a Palearctic hoverfly. Larvae feed on ground layer aphids. Adults are usually seen visiting flowers.

<i>Eristalinus sepulchralis</i> Species of fly

Eristalinus sepulchralis is a European species of hoverfly. The species are brownish-white from a close up, and look like a wasp. From a distance though, they are yellowish-black coloured, and look like a bumble bee. The species can be found throughout Europe in the Baltic states, North Europe, Central, Southern and Western Europe and across the Palaearctic to Kamchatka, Japan, China and India. Finland, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Norway, and the Netherlands.

<i>Eristalis intricaria</i> Species of fly

Eristalis intricaria, sometimes called the furry dronefly, is a European species of hoverfly. It is a furry bee mimic, superficially resembling Merodon, though Merodon have all black leg tibiae, as opposed to partly yellow. E. intricaria is somewhat variable in colour pattern, and some attempts at naming varieties have been tentatively made. Flight time of adults in the UK are from March to September. It is generally widespread, but is seldom seen in large numbers. Habitat is woodland or marshland.

<i>Eupeodes latifasciatus</i> Species of fly

Eupeodes latifasciatus is a species of hoverfly. Adults feed on nectar; larvae feed on aphids and scale insects.

<i>Dasysyrphus albostriatus</i> Species of fly

Dasysyrphus albostriatus is a Palearctic species of hoverfly.

<i>Dasysyrphus tricinctus</i> Species of fly

Dasysyrphus tricinctus is a European species of hoverfly in the genus Dasysyrphus, a member of the family Syrphidae. It is found across Europe, although reported in highest density from the British Isles and Scandinavia. While not uncommon it is generally only seen in modest numbers, typically in lowland woods with peak numbers in late May and early June and again in late August and early September.

<i>Dasysyrphus venustus</i> Species of fly

Dasysyrphus venustus is a Holarctic species of hoverfly.

<i>Leucozona lucorum</i> Species of hoverfly

Leucozona lucorum is a Palearctic and Nearctic species of hoverfly.

<i>Meliscaeva auricollis</i> Species of fly

Meliscaeva auricollis is a West Palearctic species of hoverfly.

<i>Meliscaeva cinctella</i> Species of fly

Meliscaeva cinctella is a Holarctic species of hoverfly.

<i>Cheilosia variabilis</i> Species of fly

Cheilosia variabilis, common name figwort cheilosia, is a species of hoverfly belonging to the family Syrphidae.

<i>Sericomyia silentis</i> Species of fly

Sericomyia silentis, is a species of hoverfly. It is widespread throughout the Palearctic but normally encountered in small numbers in mountain regions and moorland and bog locations.

<i>Fagisyrphus</i> Species of fly

Fagisyrphus cinctus is a European species of hoverfly. This species has a muddled taxonomic history. Older authors treated it as a member of the genus Melangyna, and later sources in Meligramma, but the most recent sources recognize it as the sole species in its own monotypic genus, Fagisyrphus.

<i>Heringia vitripennis</i> Species of fly

Heringia vitripennis is a Palearctic species of hoverfly.

<i>Melangyna quadrimaculata</i> Species of fly

Melangyna quadrimaculata is a European species of hoverfly.

<i>Dasysyrphus pinastri</i> Species of fly

Dasysyrphus pinastri is a species of hoverfly found in Europe.

<i>Epistrophe nitidicollis</i> Species of fly

Epistrophe nitidicollis is a European and North American species of hoverfly.

<i>Lejogaster tarsata</i> Species of fly

Lejogaster tarsata is a Palearctic hoverfly

<i>Caliprobola speciosa</i> Species of fly

Caliprobola speciosa is a Palearctic hoverfly. It is an ancient woodland bioindicator.

References

  1. 1 2 Harris, M. (1780). An exposition of English insects. Vol. Decads III, IV. London: Robson Co. pp. 73–99, 100–138, pls. 21–30, 31–40. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  2. Stubbs, Alan E.; Falk, Steven J. (1983). British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide. British Entomological & Natural History Society. pp. 253, xvpp.
  3. Stuart Ball, Roger Morris Britain's Hoverflies: A Field Guide, Revised and Updated Second Edition
  4. "Helophilus trivittatus | NatureSpot". Naturespot.org.uk. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  5. Hartley, J.C. (1961) A taxonomic account of the larvae of some British Syrphidae. Proc.zool.Soc.Lond.,136: 505-573.
  6. Van Veen, M. (2004) Hoverflies of Northwest Europe: identification keys to the Syrphidae. 256pp. KNNV Publishing, Utrecht.addendum
  7. Van der Goot,V.S. (1981) De zweefvliegen van Noordwest - Europa en Europees Rusland, in het bijzonder van de Benelux. KNNV, Uitgave no.32: 275pp. Amsterdam.
  8. Bei-Bienko, G.Y. & Steyskal, G.C. (1988) Keys to the Insects of the European Part of the USSR, Volume V: Diptera and Siphonaptera, Part I. Amerind Publishing Co., New Delhi. ISBN   81-205-0080-6.
  9. Coe, R.L. (1953) Diptera: Syrphidae. Handbks.ident.Br.insects, 10(1): 1-98. R.ent.Soc.London. pdf Archived 2018-10-04 at the Wayback Machine
  10. "Helophilus trivittatus (Fabricius, 1805) | Fauna Europaea". Fauna-eu.org. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  11. Peck, L.V. (1988) Syrphidae. In: Soos, A. & Papp, L. (eds.) Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera, 8: 11-230. Akad.Kiado, Budapest.
  12. "A migration of the Hoverfly Helophilus trivittatus (Fabricius, 1805) (Diptera, Syrphidae) to SW Norway in 2010" (PDF). Norwegian Journal of Entomology. 14 December 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  13. Speight, M.C.D. (2011). "Species accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera)" (PDF). Syrph the Net, the Database of European Syrphidae. 65: 285pp.
  14. de Buck, N. (1990) Bloembezoek en bestuivingsecologie van Zweefvliegen (Diptera, Syrphidae) in het bijzonder voor België. Doc.Trav. IRSNB, no.60, 1-167.