| Platycheirus discimanus | |
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| female | |
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| Species: | P. discimanus |
| Binomial name | |
| Platycheirus discimanus Loew, 1871 | |
Platycheirus discimanus, the Yellowfoot Sedgesitter is a small species of hoverfly. It is found across Europe and the Palearctic and in North America. [1] [2]
For terminology Speight key to genera and glossary
Length:6.2–6.8 mm (0.24–0.27 in)
Diagnosis of MALE: The face projects ventrally and dorsally with shallow median keel or ridges. It is gray pollinose except for the bare tubercle and gena. The posterior oral margin is produced forward. The legs are mostly dark, with the first two tarsomeres of the front and middle legs being pale. The front trochanter has many short, black, ventral setulae, and the front tibia has a fine, wavy pile underneath up to three times the width of the tibia. The first front tarsomere is subtriangular, truncate apically, about twice as wide as the apex of the tibia, and as long as wide. The second front tarsomere is nearly rectangular, three-fourths as wide as the first tarsomere and one-fourth as long. The other front tarsomeres are not modified. The middle tibia has dense, wavy anteroventral pile on the basal third, at the longest approximately four times the tibial diameter, and similar but fewer posterior pile on the middle third. The first middle tarsomere is laterally compressed, more than twice as deep as wide, while the second tarsomere is less strongly compressed. The remaining middle tarsomeres are unmodified. The first tarsomere of the hind leg is strongly swollen, about three times as long as its deepest point. The legs are otherwise unmodified. The thorax has dense pile, as long as the arista, and varies from white to dark brown. It is thinly gray pollinose, with bare shining areas between upper and lower pile patches on the katepisternum and on the anterior half of the posterior anepisternum. The halter is yellow, and the wing is completely microtrichose. The abdomen is narrow, with spots of tergites gray and overlaid with strong silver pollinosity. external image
Female: The female is not distinguishable from other species of Platycheirus. [3] [4]
Palearctic: South Norway south to Belgium and France and the Alps, Ireland east through Northern Europe and Central Europe into Russia and on through Siberia to the Russian Far East and the Pacific coast at Sakhalin, Afghanistan, Mongolia and China. Nearctic: Central Canada and Pennsylvania Fauna Europaea. [9] [4]
Habitat: It lives in deciduous forest and scrub; scrub-invaded grassland. Flies April to end May. [10]
Platycheirus clypeatus is a species of hoverfly. It is found across the Palearctic and in the Nearctic. The larvae feed on aphids. Adults are usually found on the edges of woodland or scrub, heath or along hedgerows where they visit a wide range of flowers.
Platycheirus scambus is a species of hoverfly. It is a Holarctic species.
Platycheirus peltatus is a Palearctic species of hoverfly.
Platycheirus scutatus is a very common species of hoverfly. It is a Holarctic species.
Melanostoma mellinum is a very common species of hoverfly found in many parts of Britain, Europe including the Mediterranean basin and North Africa, the East Palearctic, and North America.
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.
Platycheirus manicatus is a species of hoverfly. It is found across the Palearctic and in Alaska.
Eristalis cryptarum is a holarctic species of hoverfly. Known as the bog hoverfly or bog-dwelling drone fly, it is a bog specialist but may occur in other wetlands. Its larvae are assumed to live in peat that is saturated with water, such as that found in these boggy areas. The female has been observed depositing eggs on and close to very fresh cow dung along oligotrophic seepages in moorland.
Platycheirus rosarum is a species of hoverfly found in the Palearctic. Like its close relative Platycheirus granditarsus, it can be found in marshy meadows and ditches; indeed, the two species can often be found together. The flight time is between May and October, though it peaks in abundance in June and July.
Cheilosia albitarsis is an abundant European species of hoverfly. Adults can be found in spring visiting buttercup flowers and this plant is also the larval hostplant.
Platycheirus ambiguus is a small widespread species of hoverfly found across the Palearctic from Ireland to Japan. A spring species found in flight in April and May, it visits spring-flowering trees and shrubs; e.g., Prunus spinosa in deciduous woodland and scrub.
Platycheirus amplus is a Holarctic species of hoverfly found in wetlands, fens, moorland streams and bogs.
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.
Platycheirus melanopsis is a species of hoverfly. It is found from northern Europe across to eastern Siberia. The larva is described by Rotheray
Platycheirus perpallidus is a species of hoverfly. It is a Holarctic species.
Platycheirus podagratus is a species of hoverfly. It is found in the Holarctic.
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.
Toxomerus politus is a species of hoverfly. It is known from North, Central and South America. Although little is known about the early stages of this species, associations with corn have been noted. The adults and likely the larvae feed on the pollen of the corn plants.
Blera flukei, the Red-cheeked Wood Fly, is a rare species of syrphid fly first officially described by Curran, 1953 as Cynorhina flukei. Hoverflies get their names from the ability to remain nearly motionless while in flight. The adults are also known as flower flies for they are commonly found around and on flowers, from which they get both energy-giving nectar and protein-rich pollen. The larvae are of the rat-tailed type, feeding on exuding sap or in the rot holes of trees.