Eristalis nemorum

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Eristalis nemorum
Drone fly hoverfly (Eristalis interruptus) female.jpg
female
Scientific classification
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E. nemorum
Binomial name
Eristalis nemorum
Synonyms

Eristalis nemorum is a species of hoverfly. It is found in the Palearctic (Fennoscandia South to Iberia, the Balkans and Italy, Ireland eastwards through Central Europe into Turkey and Russia and on into the Russian Far East, Siberia and Japan) and in the Nearctic (Quebec south to Colorado). [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Technical description

External images For terms, see: Morphology of Diptera.

Wing length: 8.25–10.5 mm (0.325–0.413 in). All tarsi are extensively black. Body-hairs are short. Arista plumose basal half. Densely dusted face has a black shining stripe. Hind femora are black in male. Wings are hyaline with quadrate brownish pterostigma (basal to merge of vein sc with costa). Body is yellow-haired. Hind metatarsi are darkened. [5] [6] [7] [8] The male genitalia are figured by Hippa et al. (2001). [9] The larva is figured by Hartley (1961). [10]

Biology

The larvae are aquatic, and of the Rat-tailed maggot type. Adults are often seen visiting flowers. Flight period in the United Kingdom is from April to October, peaking around July and August. The males show a characteristic courtship display, hovering above a foraging female for minutes. [11]

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When many males are present two or more males may hover above one female.

Two males hovering above one female. St Michielsgestel Beekse Loop Dommel Eristalis nemorum mn2 vr 040712 1631 Part.JPG
Two males hovering above one female.

Adult habitat is streamsides, fen meadow and poorly-drained pasture. Flowers visited include yellow composites, umbellifers, Cakile, Calluna vulgaris, Caltha, Cardamine, Cirsium, Crataegus, Eupatorium, Euphorbia, Filipendula, Malus, Menyanthes, Mentha, Parnassia, Prunus, Ranunculus, Rubus fruticosus, Salix, Sorbus, Succisa. [12]

Related Research Articles

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

Eristalis pertinax is a hoverfly in the family Syrphidae. It was first described by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in 1763 and is found in Asia and Europe. Like Eristalis tenax, the larvae of E. pertinax are rat-tailed maggots living in drainage ditches, pools around manure piles, sewage, and similar places containing water with high organic load and low oxygen concentration.

<i>Eristalis arbustorum</i> Species of insect

Eristalis arbustorum, the European drone fly, is an abundant Northern Hemisphere species of syrphid fly, originally officially described by Linnaeus in 1758 as Musca arbustorum. The name "drone fly" is related to its similar appearance to the drone of the honeybee. Hoverflies get their names from the ability to remain nearly motionless while in flight. The adults are also known as flower flies as they are commonly found on and around flowers from which they get both energy-giving nectar and protein rich pollen. The larvae are aquatic filter-feeders of the long-tailed type.

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

Eristalis horticola is a Palearctic species of hoverfly.

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

Eristalinus aeneus, the common lagoon fly, is a fairly common species of syrphid fly observed throughout the United States and Europe. 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 occurs along shorelines in rock pools containing large amounts of decaying seaweed.

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

Meliscaeva auricollis is a West Palearctic species of hoverfly.

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

Eristalis abusiva is a European species of hoverfly. It is similar to Eristalis arbustorum.

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

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.

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

Melangyna lasiophthalma is a Holarctic species of hoverfly.

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

Epistrophe grossulariae is a Holarctic species of hoverfly.

<i>Ferdinandea cuprea</i> Species of fly

Ferdinandea cuprea is a European species of hoverfly notable for its brassy abdomen. The larvae have been found in sap from trunk damage on oak and ash.

<i>Melanogaster hirtella</i> Species of fly

Melanogaster hirtella is a European species of hoverfly.

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

Lejogaster metallina is a Palearctic species of hoverfly.

<i>Parasyrphus vittiger</i> Species of fly

Parasyrphus vittiger is a species of hoverfly, from the family Syrphidae, in the order Diptera.

<i>Parhelophilus versicolor</i> Species of fly

Parhelophilus versicolor is a European hoverfly.

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

Melangyna quadrimaculata is a European species of hoverfly.

<i>Xylota florum</i> Genus of flies

Xylota florum is a Palearctic species of hoverfly.

References

  1. Stubbs, Alan E.; Falk, Steven J. (1983). British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide. British Entomological & Natural History Society. pp. 253, xvpp.
  2. "Fauna Europaea". Archived from the original on 2018-08-30. Retrieved 2017-01-17.
  3. Peck, L.V. (1988) Syrphidae. In: Soos, A. & Papp, L. (eds.) Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera, 8: 11–230. Akad. Kiado, Budapest.
  4. Speight, M.C.D. (2011). "Species accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera)" (PDF). Syrph the Net, the Database of European Syrphidae. 65: 285pp.
  5. Van Veen, M. (2004). Hoverflies of Northwest Europe: identification keys to the Syrphidae. 256pp. KNNV Publishing, Utrecht.addendum
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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
  9. Hippa, H., Nielsen, T.R. & van Steenis, J. (2001) The west Palaearctic species of the genus Eristalis Latreille (Diptera, Surphidae). Norw. J. Entomol. 48: 289–327.
  10. Hartley, J.C. (1961) A taxonomic account of the larvae of some British Syrphidae. Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 136: 505–573.
  11. Wijngaard W (2010). "Accuracy of insect position control as revealed by hovering male". Eristalis nemorum. Proc. Neth. Entomol. Soc. Meet. 21. pp. 75–84. Archived 2017-02-23 at the Wayback Machine
  12. de Buck, N. (1990). "Bloembezoek en bestuivingsecologie van Zweefvliegen (Diptera, Syrphidae) in het bijzonder voor België". Doc.Trav. IRSNB, no. 60, pp. 1–167.