Sericomyia superbiens explained

Sericomyia (Arctophila) superbiens is a Palearctic species of hoverfly.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]} It is a bumblebee mimic.

Range: Scandinavia South to the Pyrenees. Ireland East through Northern Europe Central Europe and Southern Europe (Italy, Yugoslavia) into European Russia. South of northern France largely confined to mountain ranges.^{[5] [6]}

It is a bumblebee mimic.

The habitat is Alnus, Quercus and Betula with Salix woodland or coniferous (Picea) woodland or amongst Alnus and Salix.Also found by springs, wet flushes and along streams in grassland. Flowers visited include white umbellifers, composites, Cirsium vulgare, Centaurea, Cirsium vulgare, Ranunculus, Rubus, Scabiosa, Succisa pratensis, Mentha aquatica, Sonchus.^[7] Flies in late summer and autumn (end July to October). The larva is probably aquatic and microphagous on debris in semi-liquid mud close to streams and springs.^[8]

Notes and References

1. Coe, R.L. (1953) Diptera: Syrphidae. Handbks.ident.Br.insects, 10(1): 1-98. R.ent.Soc.London.pdf
2. Van Veen, M. (2004) Hoverflies of Northwest Europe: identification keys to the Syrphidae. 256pp. KNNV Publishing, Utrecht.
3. 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.
4. Bei-Bienko, G.Y. & Steyskal, G.C. (1988a) Keys to the Insects of the European Part of the USSR, Volume V: Diptera and Siphonaptera, Part I. Amerind Publishing Co., New Delhi. .
5. Peck, L.V. (1988) Syrphidae. In: Soos, A. & Papp, L. (eds.) Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera, 8: 11-230. Akad.Kiado, Budapest.
6. [Fauna Europaea]
7. de Buck, N. (1990) Bloembezoek en bestuivingsecologie van Zweefvliegen (Diptera, Syrphidae) in het bijzonder voor België. Doc.Trav. IRSNB, no.60, 1-167.
8. Speight . M.C.D. . 2011 . Species accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera). Syrph the Net, the database of European Syrphidae . 65 . 285pp .