Tag Archives: Xanthogramma pedissequum

152/365 Hovering

01 Saturday Jun 2019

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I found a new path today, which led me through swathes of long grass bordered by brambles and low shrubby bushes. I emerged with wet shoes and trousers from the dew still coating the grass but with lots of photos of hoverflies, so I will definitely be going back to explore further. Here are the hovers …

 

Volucella bombylans and Volucella bombylans subsp. plumata
At first glance you might think these two hoverflies were bumblebees, and that’s exactly what they want you to think – or, rather, what they want bumblebees to think, because they don’t want to be caught out when sneaking in to lay their eggs in the nests of the bumblebees they mimic (which are the Red-tailed bumblebee Bombus lapidarius and the White-tailed bumblebee Bombus lucorum respectively).

 

Helophilus pendulus and Chrysotoxum bicinctum
Do you see why the hoverfly on the left is known as The Footballer? I’m not sure which football team his colourful markings are meant to represent – perhaps Helophilus pendulus has its own team. Its distinctive bands of bright yellow make Chrysotoxum bicinctum one of the easier hoverflies to identify.

 

Xanthogramma pedissequum and Episyrphus balteatus
Xanthogramma pedissequum is another hoverfly with reasonably easy to identify markings – believe me, not all hoverflies are so easy! And with its rich orange colouring, Episyrphus balteatus looks almost edible, which is probably why it’s called the Marmalade hoverfly.

Checking out commas and dashes

01 Thursday Sep 2016

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No, this is not a post about English grammar! I thought I would share more photos of hoverflies before they disappear for the year and it just so happens that today’s selection is not at all scientific – same genus, same habitats – they just all happen to be decorated with commas or dashes.

160901 Chrysotoxum bicinctum

First up is Chrysotoxum bicinctum, with the two yellow stripes across its abdomen making it quite a distinctive hoverfly and also more easily identifiable than many. Its antennae are a little longer than most hoverflies so this little critter is really trying very hard to imitate a wasp … but without the sting. Usually found in grassy habitats with nearby trees and shrubs for shelter, Chrysotoxum bicinctum can be seen from May to September in most parts of Britain.

Also known as the Migrant hoverfly because, despite its small size, it is migrates across Europe and North Africa, Eupeodes corollae is rather a pretty little hoverfly. It can be a little tricky to ID as the males and females have different yellow markings and, to further confuse things, it is also very similar to Eupeodes luniger, up next. Interestingly, E. corollae has been used as way to control insects and aphids on fruit plantations and in greenhouses … but it turns out they ate more fruit than aphids!

160901 Eupeodes luniger

The difference between E. corollae and Eupeodes luniger is in those commas that adorn their abdomens. In E. corollae the markings extend to the edge of the abdomen, whereas in E. luniger they do not. That sounds an easy way to identify them but these hoverflies are not huge critters and it’s not always easy to see those edges. Eupeodes luniger is another migrating species that is known to fly long distances. In Britain they are mostly found in the southern counties.

160901 Xanthogramma pedissequum

Last but certainly not least is Xanthogramma pedissequum, another striking wasp mimic, with characteristic vertical stripes on its thorax and horizontal dashes on its abdomen. Though peaking in June and July, it can be seen in southern Britain from May through to September, in grassy places and along tracks and trails where there is some bare dirt. Presumably, this is because their larvae feed on the aphids found in ants’ nests so they are looking along those pathways for suitable egg-laying places.