Cheilosia vernalis explained

Cheilosia vernalis is a Palearctic hoverfly.

Description

For terms see Morphology of Diptera
The upper margin of the facial tubercle is smooth. The eyes have short black hairs. The post-alar calli and the margin of the scutellum have only short bristles. The normal length wings are usually hyaline. The wing length is 4 ·5-6·75 mm.,body length is 5.0 to 7.0mm.A very variable species.See references for determination.^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]}

Distribution

Scandinavia south to the Iberian Peninsula and from Ireland eastwards through central and southern Europe to Turkey', European parts of Russia, Russian Far East and Siberia.^{[6] [7]}

Habitat

Very varied. Forest, pasture, montane grassland, alpine grassland, fen and dune systems.

Biology

It is low-flying over ground vegetation; males hover at 1-3m in small clearings.Flowers visited include Caltha, Cirsium arvense, Leontodon, Leucanthemum, Menyanthes, Prunus spinosa, Ranunculus, Salix, Senecio, and Taraxacum. It flies from April to October. The larva feeds in the stems of Achillea,Matricaria and Sonchus oleraceus and in the involucre of Tragopogon. ^[8]

Notes and References

1. 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. .
2. Van Veen, M. (2004) Hoverflies of Northwest Europe: identification keys to the Syrphidae. 256pp. KNNV Publishing, Utrecht.addendum
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. Coe, R.L. (1953) Diptera: Syrphidae. Handbks.ident.Br.insects, 10(1): 1-98. R.ent.Soc.London. pdf
5. Book: Stubbs, Alan E. . Falk, Steven J. . amp . 1983 . British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide . British Entomological & Natural History Society. 0-9502891-3-2. 2nd (revised). 271, xvpp .
6. [Fauna Europaea]
7. Peck, L.V. (1988) Syrphidae. In: Soos, A. & Papp, L. (eds.) Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera, 8: 11-230. Akad.Kiado, Budapest.
8. Speight . M.C.D. . 2011 . Species accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera). Syrph the Net, the Database of European Syrphidae . 65 . 285pp .