| Volucella inflata | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Syrphidae |
| Genus: | Volucella |
| Species: | V. inflata |
| Binomial name | |
| Volucella inflata (Fabricius, 1794) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Volucella inflata is a large species of European hoverfly. [1]
V. inflata is a large, short-haired fly. Though a little smaller than most European species of Volucella , typical body length is 12–15 mm and wing length is 11–13 mm. The thorax is black with orange margins, and the scutellum is orange with light-coloured hairs at the apex. The abdomen is largely black, with the exception of dark orange brown patches on the second tergite. [2]
It is found mostly in deciduous forests with mature trees, though has been known to venture into domestic gardens. Adults fly from May to July and feed on nectar from flowers, mostly from umbellifers. Larvae inhabit social insect nests. [2]
This fly is very local over much of Europe, being found from Sweden and northern Germany, the Pyrenees and northern Spain, Britain, eastwards through Central Europe into European Russia and the Caucasus, and the former Yugoslavia and Bulgaria. [2]
Hover flies, also called flower flies or syrphid flies, make up the insect family Syrphidae. As their common name suggests, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults of many species feed mainly on nectar and pollen, while the larvae (maggots) eat a wide range of foods. In some species, the larvae are saprotrophs, eating decaying plant and animal matter in the soil or in ponds and streams. In other species, the larvae are insectivores and prey on aphids, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects.
Volucella pellucens, the pellucid fly, is a hoverfly.
Eristalis tenax, the common drone fly, is a common, migratory, cosmopolitan species of hover fly. It is the most widely distributed syrphid species in the world, and is known from all regions except the Antarctic. It has been introduced into North America and is widely established. It can be found in gardens and fields in Europe and Australia. It has also been found in the Himalayas.
Helophilus pendulus is a European hoverfly. Its scientific name means "dangling marsh-lover". It is a very common species in Britain, where it is the commonest Helophilus species. It is found throughout Europe from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, westward to the Faroe Islands and Iceland, and through eastward through Russia from the Kola Peninsula south to Crimea and across Siberia to the Pacific Ocean.
Episyrphus balteatus, sometimes called the marmalade hoverfly, is a relatively small hoverfly (9–12 mm) of the Syrphidae family, widespread throughout the Palaearctic region, which covers Europe, North Asia, and North Africa. The upper side of the abdomen is patterned with orange and black bands. Two further identification characters are the presence of secondary black bands on the third and fourth dorsal plates and faint greyish longitudinal stripes on the thorax. Its color patterns may appear wasp-like to other animals, such as birds, protecting it from predation.
Volucella bombylans is a large species of hoverfly belonging to the family Syrphidae.
Volucella inanis is a species of hoverfly belonging to the family Syrphidae.
Volucella is a genus of large, broad-bodied, dramatic hover-flies. They have distinctive plumose aristae and the face is extended downward. They are strongly migratory and males are often territorial. Adults feed on nectar of flowers and are often seen sunning on leaves. The larvae of most species live in nests of bumblebees and social wasps, where they are detritivores and larval predators.
Volucella zonaria, the hornet mimic hoverfly, is a species of hoverfly.
Rhingia rostrata is a small species of hoverfly, some 7 to 10 millimetres in length, with a wing span of 11 to 16 mm. It is common in many parts of Europe from March until November, though is slightly less common than Rhingia campestris in many parts of it range. In Britain it is only found in southern England. It has a broad orange abdomen, but lacking the black line along the side of the abdomen as in Rhingia campestris. Also living Rhingia rostrata has an orange scutellum, though this fades to brown in dead specimens. But it still has the distinctive long snout of all Rhingia species. Larvae are associated with cow dung. Adults feed on nectar and pollen.
Atolmis rubricollis, the red-necked footman, is a small moth of the family Erebidae. It is found in the summer in forested regions of Europe and Northern Asia. This moth was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
Cheilosia illustrata is a species of hoverfly belonging to the family Syrphidae.
Scaeva pyrastri, common name the pied hoverfly, is a species of hoverfly.
Baccha elongata is a species of hoverfly in the genus Baccha.
Microdon mutabilis, is a species of hoverfly. It is found in many parts of Britain and Europe. The distinctive almost slug-like larvae live in ants' nests. They are hemispherical in shape, heavily armoured and believed to prey on the eggs and larvae of a number of ant species, including Formica lemani, Formica fusca, Lasius niger and Myrmica ruginodis. It was described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
Microdon analis, is a species of hoverfly. It is found in the Palearctic. The distinctive almost slug-like larvae live in ants nests. The larvae are hemispherical in shape and heavily armoured. They are believed to prey on the eggs and larvae of a number of different ant species, notably Lasius niger and the Formica rufa group. These ants are usually found on heathland. However Schmid (2004) claims that Microdon analis and M. major which are cryptic species have been confused under the name analis. M.major is apparently associated with ants of the genus Formica, the other species, M.analis, with Lasius species.
Vespula rufa, commonly known as the red wasp, is a social wasp species belonging to the genus Vespula. It is found in northern and central Europe, parts of Asia, and northern parts of North America. Vespula rufa is characterised by red-brown markings and body segmentation, with the appearance varying amongst the different roles of individuals in the species. These wasps build small nests in dry banks underground that are not far below the surface. The colony cycle begins in the fall. Vespula rufa feed on live insects. One interesting fact about Vespula rufa is that the queen policing occurs in the species, and that worker policing occurs at much lower rates than other species in the genus Vespula. There are predators and parasites of the species. The species goes through a series of events before leaving the nest.
Eristalis flavipes, the orange-legged drone fly, is a species of hoverfly native to North America. It flies from early April to mid-October, and occur in a wide variety of habitats, particularly wetlands. E. flavipes measures 11-16 mm in length.
Mallota cimbiciformis is a Palearctic hoverfly.
Caliprobola speciosa is a Palearctic hoverfly. It is an ancient woodland bioindicator.