Paragus haemorrhous | |
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Original figures in Meigen's Europäischen Zweiflügeligen | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Diptera |
Family: | Syrphidae |
Genus: | Paragus |
Subgenus: | Pandasyophthalmus |
Species: | P. haemorrhous |
Binomial name | |
Paragus haemorrhous Meigen, 1822 | |
Synonyms | |
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Paragus haemorrhous,the Black-backed Grass Skimmer is a common widespread species of hoverfly found in many parts of Europe, Africa and the Nearctic. Hoverflies can remain nearly motionless in flight. The adults are also known as flower flies for they are commonly found on flowers from which they get both energy-giving nectar and protein-rich pollen. The larvae are predators on aphids. [1] [2]
For terminology Speight key to genera and glossary
external link to inaturalist images
4.3–5.9 mm (0.17–0.23 in)
The face is yellow, moderately projecting, with a black median stripe in both sexes. The third antennal joint is sordid reddish below. The eyes are uniformly pilose."
The scutellum entirely black.
Segment 1 is black and well-developed. Segment 2 is black or has a posterior margin that is red. Segments 3 through 5 are usually entirely red-orange to dark red in males. The superior lobe varies in shape and size, with an apex that is nearly truncate to strongly oblique, and with a length from one to two times that of the surstylus.
The wings are hyaline with a brownish grey stigma.
The legs are yellow and light brownish yellow. The basal half of the femora are black. The hind tibia is usually with apical half yellow-orange.
Females cannot be identified. [3]
See references for determination. [4] [5] [6] [7]
Palearctic: Fennoscandia south to Iberia and the Mediterranean basin, Israel and Turkey, Ireland eastward through Central Europe and Southern Europe (Italy, the former Yugoslavia) into European Russia. Nearctic: from the Yukon south to Costa Rica also in parts of the Afrotropical region. [8] [9] [10]
Habitat: Unimproved grassland, heathland, garrigue, dune grassland, open areas and pathsides in forest up to the Larix/Pinus uncinata zone, fen meadow. [11] Flowers visited include umbellifers, Calluna , Jasione montana , Matricaria , Origanum , Polygonum , Potentilla , Solidago , Stellaria . [12] It flies May to September. The larva feeds on aphids on low herbaceous plants.
As "based on both morphological and molecular evidence", Paragus haemorrhous Meigen 1822, Paragus coadunatus (Rondani, 1847) and Paragus ascoensis Goeldlin de Tiefenau & Lucas, 1981 appear to be synonyms of Paragus tibialis (Fallén, 1817)". Rojo et al. (2006). [13]
Eristalis nemorum is a species of hoverfly. It is found in the Palearctic and in the Nearctic.
Syrphus ribesii is a very common Holarctic species of hoverfly. Its larvae feed on aphids. In common with many other species of hoverfly, males have the eyes meeting on the top of the head, whilst females have their eyes widely separated.
Eupeodes corollae is a very common European species of hoverfly. Adults are 6–11 millimetres (0.24–0.43 in) in body length. Males and females have different marking on the abdomen; males have square commas on tergites 3 and 4, whereas females have narrow commas. Larvae feed on aphids. This species has been used experimentally in glasshouses as a method of aphid control, and to control scale insects and aphids in fruit plantations. They were found to be partial to the fruit, eating more fruit than aphids.
Eupeodes luniger is a common species of hoverfly.
Eupeodes latifasciatus is a species of hoverfly. Adults feed on nectar; larvae feed on aphids and scale insects.
Didea fasciata is a Holarctic species of hoverfly.
Leucozona lucorum is a Palearctic and Nearctic species of hoverfly.
Cheilosia pagana is a Holarctic species of hoverfly. Like most Cheilosia it is black, and because of this may often be overlooked as a hoverfly. One identifying feature is a large red to orange 3rd antennal segment.
Platycheirus granditarsus, the Hornhand Sedgesitter, is a species of hoverfly. It is found in many parts of Britain North America and Europe. Typical habitat includes marshy meadows and ditches, where it can be found between May and October, though it is at its commonest between July and September. The most distinctive feature of this fly is the red-orange abdomen most easily seen as it takes off or alights.
Syrphus torvus, the Hairy-eyed Flower Fly, is a common species of hoverfly found in the Holarctic. The adults feed on pollen and nectar, but the larvae feed on aphids.
Syrphus vitripennis is a very common European and North American species of hoverfly. Its larvae feed on aphids
Epistrophe grossulariae is a Holarctic species of hoverfly.
Pipiza noctiluca is a species of Hoverfly, from the family Syrphidae, in the order Diptera.
Parasyrphus lineolus is a Holarctic species of hoverfly.
Parasyrphus vittiger is a species of hoverfly, from the family Syrphidae, in the order Diptera.
Platycheirus angustatus is a species of hoverfly. It is found in many parts of the Palearctic, and in the Nearctic.
Platycheirus immarginatus, the Comb-legged Sedgesitter, is a common species of hoverfly. It is found in parts of northern Europe and northern North America.
Megasyrphus erraticus is a Holarctic species of hoverfly associated with mature conifer woodlands and plantations.
Epistrophe nitidicollis is a European and North American species of hoverfly.
Chrysotoxum fasciatum is a species of Holarctic hoverfly.