INSECTS

DIPTERA / HOVERFLIES

Great Pied Hoverfly Volucella pellucens is one of Britain's largest hoverflies. It lives in woods and copses where it visits bramble and hogweed. It has an ivory-white waistband and dark patches on the wings. June and July are the peak flying months although they do appear as late as October. The larvae live in wasp and bumblebee nests.

Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria is a big hoverfly sometimes mistaken for being a hornet. It is seen from May to November. Black and yellow markings deter predators and the clever mimicry allows this species to pass freely into wasp nests to lay eggs without being challenged. When the eggs hatch the hoverfly's larvae grab wasps to devour them. After overwintering in the nest the larvae emerge in spring as adult hoverflies. Also known as the Belted Hoverfly.

Two-banded Wasp Hoverfly Chrysotoxum bicinctum is a wasp mimic usually found on hedgerows in sheltered grassy areas from June to August. Yellow bands on the body, wing markings and forward pointing antennae make this species fairly easy to identify.

Golden Comb Hoverfly  Chrysotoxum festivum has distinctive bold markings. It visits umbellifers, thistles and other flowers, and is found in tall grass areas from June to August. Not common.

Yellow-girdled Fleckwing  Dasysyrphus tricinctus frequents woodland edges from May to June and August to September. It visits yellow flowers such as Dandelions and Buttercups.

Marmalade Hoverfly  Episyrphus balteatus is seen throughout the year with numbers increased during the summer months by immigration. The thorax is shiny brown with light lines and the abdomen is orange with black markings. There are two black bands on segments three and four.

Common Spotted Field Syrph  Eupeodes luniger  is a common migrant found in open habitats from May until September. It is characterized by hook-shaped markings along the centre of its abdomen.

Sphaerophoria (no common name) are small, elongate, black and yellow hoverflies, that have yellow faces, yellow scutellum and yellow markings on the side of the thorax. Males can be readily identified to species, whereas females cannot.

Humming Hoverfly Syrphus sp. Males often vibrate their wings causing a humming noise. These common yellow and black banded hoverflies are seen from March to November in a variety of habitats. The Syrphus  species can be difficult to tell apart.

Early Hoverfly Epistrophe eligans is a variable species regarding the abdomen's yellow striping which in some males is nearly all black. This species responds to warm spring weather and is now emerging much earlier in the year than it used to. Male are often found basking in the warm sunshine. 

Superb Anthill Hoverfly  Xanthogramma pedissequum sensu lato is found in meadows and by the side of woodland paths from May to September. Males may occasionally be spotted hovering above bare ground. Its larvae prey on aphids in ant nests.

Common Snout Hoverfly Rhingia campestris has an orange abdomen, dark thorax, and a black line along the edge of the tergites and always has at least one black ring on the rear leg. Inhabits woodland.

Grey-backed Snout Fly  Rhingia rostrata has no dark edges on the abdomen and the legs are mainly orange. It visits flowers from April to September. Inhabits woodland. It is sometimes seen on Yellow Iris at the side of Seven Kings Water.

Small Spotty-eyed Dronefly Eristalinus sepulchralis has speckled eyes and a mesonotum with five grey stripes. Usually visits flowers from June until August.

Tapered Drone Fly  Eristalis pertinax flies from April until October and is a fairly common sight on hedgerows and along woodland rides. This species has pale front legs and there are usually orange markings on tergite 2 which are often brighter in summer specimens. Eyes separated by a gap indicate a female.

Footballer Hoverfly  Helophilus pendulus is a common species seen on a range of flowers from May to October. The face is yellow with a central black stripe. The wing length measures 8-11mm. Females can be identified by the abdomen ending in a conical point. The common name is due to the stripes being similar to those on some football shirts.

Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea is very common in woodland where it mainly visits umbellifers and ivy from April to September. The bold bat-shaped back marking means this hoverfly can easily be identified  and has led to this species becoming known as the 'Batman hoverfly'. The wings measure 7-12mm in length. Larvae inhabit decaying leaves at tree bases.

Pipiza are medium-sized black hoverflies with flat hairy faces and often have a wing cloud. There are seven British species which are very variable and difficult to identify.

Thick-legged Hoverfly Syritta pipiens is a common fast-flying species that visits ox-eye daisy and fleabane. Broad hind femora gave rise to the common name. Its larvae feed on rotting organic matter.

Yellow-tailed Hoverfly Xylota sylvarum is fairly common in woodland where its larvae inhabit beech tree roots. There are other similar looking Xylota, but this species is the largest and has obvious golden hair on the bottom of its abdomen. It flies from spring to autumn, peaking in June and July.