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Hoverflies (Syrphidae), tribe Syrphini

Moderate size hoverflies, typically with wasp-like markings. Larvae predatory, often on aphids.

Chrysotoxum bicinctum Linnaeus, 1758

  • Cambridge, Barnwell East LNR 480583: 8 Jul 2008
  • Strikingly marked with just two yellow bands, and the characteristic long antennae of the genus
  • Feeding on wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)
  • Enlarged photo

Chrysotoxum verralli Collin, 1940

  • Cambridge: 26 Jul 2001
  • Genus has distinctive long antennae
  • Distinguished from C. elegans by a narrow parallel dark band at the front of T2, Chris Raper says C. elegans is larger and darker.
  • C. cautum has antenna segment 1 shorter than 2, in C. verralli it is equal or longer (inset). Also C. cautum females have longer hair on the thorax than the thin dusting here.
  • Second image: Cambridge, Barnwell East LNR TL 480583: 8 Jul 2008

Epistrophe eligans (Harris, 1780)

  • (l) Cambridge: 22 Apr 2001, Male.
  • (r) Cambridge: 18 Apr 2009, Female.
  • Abdomen pattern of 2 triangles on T2, narrow band T3, all dark T4 is distinctive. Females have more yellow and the T2 band may join as shown (r).
  • One of the first hoverflies to appear in Spring.
  • 10mm long
  • Enlarged photo

Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer, 1776)

  • Cambridge: (l) 30 Jun 2002, male (r) 29 Jul 2001, male
  • A very numerous species in Britain augmented by swarms from the continent
  • Flock on favourite flowers, which include common poppy, Eschscholzia, fennel and convolvulus
  • Double dark stripes on each tergite are distinctive, but the colouration and size are quite variable
  • Up to 11mm long, similar to Common Wasp.

Eupeodes corollae (Fabricius, 1794)

  • Cambridge: 18 Jul 2001, Male
  • The spectacle-bars on T3 & T4 are not connected on all males. (On females the spots are distinct.)
  • 9mm long.
  • Synonym: Metasyrphus corollae

Eupeodes luniger (Meigen, 1822)

  • Cambridge: 20 Apr 2002, Female.
  • Comma-shaped markings on T3 & T4 don't reach edge of abdomen (distinguishes from female E. corollae)
  • 8mm long.
  • Synonym: Metasyrphus luniger

Leucozona lucorum (Linaeus, 1758)

  • Cambridge: 24 May 2003, Female.
  • A characteristic spring hoverfly.
  • See Volucella pellucens for a larger hoverfly with a similar white band

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