List of hoverfly species of Great Britain explained

The following is a list of hoverfly (Syrphidae) species recorded in Great Britain.

Alan Stubbs and Steven Falk, in their 1983 work British Hoverflies,^[1] divided the family into subfamilies and tribes. These subdivisions are now believed to be, to some extent, artificial groupings, not reflecting the evolutionary relationships within the family, so in need of revision. As no replacement system is yet in place, though, these groupings are retained in this list.

The six unnamed species listed in Stubbs and Falk (1983)^[1] are not included below.

Subfamily Syrphinae

See main article: Syrphinae.

Tribe Bacchini (incorporating Melanostomatini)

See main article: Bacchini.

Baccha

• Baccha elongata^[2] (syn. B. obscuripennis)

Melanostoma

• Melanostoma dubium^[2]

• Melanostoma mellinum^[2]

• Melanostoma scalare^[2]

Platycheirus

• Subgenus Pachysphyria

• • Platycheirus ambiguus^[2]

• Subgenus Platycheirus

• • Platycheirus albimanus^[2]

• • Platycheirus amplus^[3]

• • Platycheirus angustatus^[2]

• • Platycheirus aurolateralis^[4]

• • Platycheirus clypeatus^[2]

• • Platycheirus discimanus^[2]

• • Platycheirus europaeus^{[2] [5]}

• • Platycheirus fulviventris^[2]

• • Platycheirus immarginatus^[2]

• • Platycheirus manicatus^[2]

• • Platycheirus melanopsis^[2]

• • Platycheirus nielseni^{[2] [6]}

• • Platycheirus occultus^{[2] [5]}

• • Platycheirus peltatus^[2]

• • Platycheirus perpallidus^[2]

• • Platycheirus podagratus^[2]

• • Platycheirus ramsaerensis^{[2] [5] [7]}

• • Platycheirus scambus^[2]

• • Platycheirus scutatus^[2]

• • Platycheirus splendidus^[8]

• • Platycheirus sticticus^[2]

• • Platycheirus tarsalis^[2]

• Subgenus Pyrophaena

• • Platycheirus granditarsus^[2]

• • Platycheirus rosarum^[2]

Xanthandrus

• Xanthandrus comtus^[2]

Tribe Paragini

See main article: Paragini.

Paragus

• Subgenus Pandasyopthalmus

• • Paragus constrictus^[2]

• • Paragus haemorrhous^[2]

• • Paragus tibialis^[2]

• Subgenus Paragus

• • Paragus albifrons^[2]

Tribe Syrphini (incorporating Chrysotoxini)

See main article: Syrphini.

Chrysotoxum

• Chrysotoxum arcuatum^[2]

• Chrysotoxum bicinctum^[2]

• Chrysotoxum cautum^[2]

• Chrysotoxum elegans^[2]

• Chrysotoxum festivum^[2]

• Chrysotoxum octomaculatum^[2]

• Chrysotoxum vernale^[2]

• Chrysotoxum verralli^[2]

Dasysyrphus

• Dasysyrphus albostriatus^[2]

• Dasysyrphus friuliensis^[2]

• Dasysyrphus hilaris ^[9]

• Dasysyrphus pauxillus^{[10] [11]}

• Dasysyrphus pinastri^[2]

• Dasysyrphus tricinctus^[2]

• Dasysyrphus venustus^[2]

Didea

• Didea alneti^[2]

• Didea fasciata^[2]

• Didea intermedia^[2]

Doros

• Doros profuges^[2]

Epistrophe

• Subgenus Epistrophe

• • Epistrophe diaphana^[2]

• • Epistrophe eligans^[2]

• • Epistrophe grossulariae^[2]

• • Epistrophe melanostoma^[2]

• • Epistrophe nitidicollis^[2]

• • Epistrophe ochrostoma^[2]

Epistrophella

• Epistrophella euchromus^[2]

Episyrphus

• Episyrphus balteatus^[2]

Eriozona

• Subgenus Eriozona

• • Eriozona syrphoides^[2]

Eupeodes

• Subgenus Eupeodes

• • Eupeodes corollae^[2]

• • Eupeodes latifasciatus^[2]

• • Eupeodes latilunulatus^[2] (bucculatus)

• • Eupeodes lundbecki^[2]

• • Eupeodes luniger^[2]

• • Eupeodes nielseni^[2]

• • Eupeodes nitens^[2]

Fagisyrphus

• Fagisyrphus cinctus^[2]

Lapposyrphus

• • Lapposyrphus lapponicus^[2]

Leucozona

• Subgenus Ischyrosyrphus

• • Leucozona glaucia^[2]

• • Leucozona laternaria^[2]

• Subgenus Leucozona

• • Leucozona lucorum^[2]

Megasyrphus

• Megasyrphus erraticus^{[2] [12]} (syn. Megasyrphus annulipes)

Melangyna

• Melangyna arctica^[2]

• Melangyna barbifrons^[2]

• Melangyna compositarum^[2]

• Melangyna ericarum^[2]

• Melangyna labiatarum^[2]

• Melangyna lasiophthalma^[2]

• Melangyna quadrimaculata^[2]

• Melangyna umbellatarum^[2]

Meligramma

• Meligramma guttatum^[2]

• Meligramma triangulifera^[2]

Meliscaeva

• Meliscaeva auricollis^[2]

• Meliscaeva cinctella^[2]

Parasyrphus

• Parasyrphus annulatus^[2]

• Parasyrphus lineolus^[2]

• Parasyrphus malinellus^[2]

• Parasyrphus nigritarsis^{[2] [13]}

• Parasyrphus punctulatus^[2]

• Parasyrphus vittiger^[2]

Philhelius

• Philhelius citrofasciatus^[2]

• Philhelius pedissequus^[2]

• Philhelius stackelbergi^[14]

Scaeva

• Scaeva albomaculata^[2]

• Scaeva dignota^[15]

• Scaeva mecogramma^[2]

• Scaeva pyrastri^[2]

• Scaeva selenitica^[2]

Sphaerophoria

• Sphaerophoria bankowskae^{[2] [9] [16] [17]}

• Sphaerophoria batava^{[2] [18]}

• Sphaerophoria fatarum^{[2] [9] [16] [19]}

• Sphaerophoria interrupta^[2]

• Sphaerophoria loewi^[2]

• Sphaerophoria philanthus^[2]

• Sphaerophoria potentillae ^{[2] [9] [20] [21]}

• Sphaerophoria rueppellii^[2]

• Sphaerophoria scripta^[2]

• Sphaerophoria taeniata^[2]

• Sphaerophoria virgata ^[2]

Syrphus

• Syrphus ribesii^[2]

• Syrphus torvus^[2]

• Syrphus vitripennis^[2]

Subfamily Milesiinae

See main article: Milesiinae.

Tribe Callicerini

See main article: Callicerini.

Callicera

• Callicera aurata^[2]

• Callicera rufa^[2]

• Callicera spinolae^[2]

Tribe Cheilosiini

See main article: Cheilosiini.

Cheilosia

• Cheilosia ahenea^[22]

• Cheilosia albipila^[2]

• Cheilosia albitarsis^[2]

• Cheilosia antiqua^[2]

• Cheilosia barbata^[2]

• Cheilosia bergenstammi^[2]

• Cheilosia caerulescens^[23]

• Cheilosia carbonaria^[2]

• Cheilosia chrysocoma^[2]

• Cheilosia cynocephala^[2]

• Cheilosia fraterna^[2]

• Cheilosia griseiventris^[2]

• Cheilosia grossa^[2]

• Cheilosia illustrata^[2]

• Cheilosia impressa^[2]

• Cheilosia lasiopa^[2]

• Cheilosia latifrons^[2] (syn. C. intonsa)

• Cheilosia longula^[2]

• Cheilosia mutabilis^[2]

• Cheilosia nebulosa^[2]

• Cheilosia nigripes^[2]

• Cheilosia pagana^[2]

• Cheilosia praecox^[2] (syn. C. globulipes)

• Cheilosia proxima^[2]

• Cheilosia psilophthalma^{[2] [24]}

• Cheilosia pubera^[2]

• Cheilosia sahlbergi^[2]

• Cheilosia scutellata^[2]

• Cheilosia semifasciata^[2]

• Cheilosia soror^[2]

• Cheilosia uviformis^[2]

• Cheilosia variabilis^[2]

• Cheilosia velutina^[2]

• Cheilosia vernalis^[2]

• Cheilosia vicina^[2] (syn. C. nasutula)

• Cheilosia vulpina^[2]

Ferdinandea

• Ferdinandea cuprea^[2]

• Ferdinandea ruficornis^[2]

Portevinia

• Portevinia maculata^[2]

Rhingia

• Rhingia campestris^[2]

• Rhingia rostrata ^[2]

Tribe Chrysogastrini

See main article: Chrysogastrini.

Brachyopa

• Brachyopa bicolor^[2]

• Brachyopa insensilis^[2]

• Brachyopa pilosa^[2]

• Brachyopa scutellaris^[2]

Chrysogaster

• Chrysogaster cemiteriorum^[2] (syn. Ch. chalybeata)

• Chrysogaster solstitialis^[2]

• Chrysogaster virescens^[2]

Hammerschmidtia

• Hammerschmidtia ferruginea ^[2]

Lejogaster

• Subgenus Liogaster

• • Lejogaster metallina^[2]

• • Lejogaster tarsata^[2] (syn. L. splendida)

Melanogaster

• Melanogaster aerosa^[2]

• Melanogaster hirtella^[2]

Myolepta

• Myolepta dubia^[2]

• Myolepta potens^[2]

Neoascia

• Subgenus Neoascia

• • Neoascia podagrica^[2]

• • Neoascia tenur^[2]

• Subgenus Neoasciella

• • Neoascia geniculata^[2]

• • Neoascia interrupta^[2]

• • Neoascia meticulosa^[2]

• • Neoascia obliqua^[2]

Orthonevra

• Orthonevra brevicornis^[2]

• Orthonevra geniculata^[2]

• Orthonevra intermedia^[25]

• Orthonevra nobilis^[2]

Riponnensia

• Riponnensia splendens^[2]

Sphegina

• Subgenus Asiosphegina

• • Sphegina sibirica^[26]

• Subgenus Sphegina

• • Sphegina clunipes^[2]

• • Sphegina elegans^[2] (syn. Sphegina kimakowiczi)

• • Sphegina verecunda^[2]

Tribe Eristalini

See main article: Eristalini.

Anasimyia

• Anasimyia contracta^[2]

• Anasimyia interpuncta^[2]

• Anasimyia lineata^[2]

• Anasimyia lunulata^[2]

• Anasimyia transfuga^[2]

Eristalinus

• Subgenus Eristalinus

• • Eristalinus sepulchralis^[2]

• Subgenus Lathyrophthalmus

• • Eristalinus aeneus^[2]

Eristalis

• Subgenus Eoseristalis

• • Eristalis abusiva^[2]

• • Eristalis arbustorum^[2]

• • Eristalis cryptarum^[2]

• • Eristalis horticola^[2]

• • Eristalis interruptus^[2]

• • Eristalis intricarius^[2]

• • Eristalis pertinax^[2]

• • Eristalis rupium^[2]

• • Eristalis similis^[2]

• Subgenus Eristalis

• • Eristalis tenax^[2]

Helophilus

• Helophilus affinis^{[2] [27]}

• Helophilus groenlandicus^[2]

• Helophilus hybridus^[2]

• Helophilus pendulus^[2]

• Helophilus trivittatus^[2]

Lejops

• Lejops vittatus^[2]

Mallota

• Mallota cimbiciformis^[2]

Myathropa

• Myathropa florea^[2]

Parhelophilus

• Parhelophilus consimilis^[2]

• Parhelophilus frutetorum^[2]

• Parhelophilus versicolor^[2]

Tribe Merodontini (incorporating Eumerini)

See main article: Eumerini.

Eumerus

• Eumerus funeralis

• Eumerus ornatus^[2]

• Eumerus sabulonum^[2]

• Eumerus sogdianus^[28]

• Eumerus strigatus^[2]

Merodon

• Merodon equestris^[2]

Platynochaetus

• Platynochaetus setosus (accidental import on vegetables)^[29]

Psilota

• Psilota anthracina^[2]

Tribe Pelecocerini

Chamaesyrphus

• Chamaesyrphus caledonicus^[2]

• Chamaesyrphus scaevoides^[2]

Pelecocera

• Pelecocera tricincta^[2]

Tribe Pipizini

See main article: Pipizini.

Heringia

• Subgenus Heringia

• • Heringia heringi^[2]

• Subgenus Neocnemodon

• • Heringia brevidens^[2]

• • Heringia latitarsis^[2]

• • Heringia pubescens^[2]

• • Heringia verrucula^[2]

• • Heringia vitripennis^[2]

Pipiza

• Pipiza austriaca^[2]

• Pipiza bimaculata^[2]

• Pipiza fenestrata^[2]

• Pipiza lugubris^[2]

• Pipiza luteitarsis^[2]

• Pipiza noctiluca^[2]

Pipizella

• Pipizella maculipennis^[2]

• Pipizella virens^[2]

Trichopsomyia

• Trichopsomyia flavitarsis^[2]

Triglyphus

• Triglyphus primus^[2]

Tribe Sericomyiini

See main article: Sericomyiini.

Arctophila

• Arctophila superbiens^[2] (syn. A. fulva)

Sericomyia

• Sericomyia lappona^[2]

• Sericomyia silentis^[2]

Tribe Volucellini

See main article: Volucellini.

Volucella

• Volucella bombylans^[2]

• Volucella inanis^[2]

• Volucella inflata^[2]

• Volucella pellucens^[2]

• Volucella zonaria^[2]

Tribe Xylotini

See main article: Xylotini.

Blera

• Blera fallax^[2]

Brachypalpoides

• Brachypalpoides lentus^[2]

Brachypalpus

• Brachypalpus laphriformis ^[2]

Caliprobola

• Caliprobola speciosa^[2]

Chalcosyrphus

• Subgenus Xylotina

• • Chalcosyrphus nemorum^[2]

• Subgenus Xylotodes

• • Chalcosyrphus eunotus^[2]

• Subgenus Xylotomima

• • Chalcosyrphus piger^[30]

Criorhina

• Criorhina asilica^[2]

• Criorhina berberina^[2]

• Criorhina floccosa^[2]

• Criorhina ranunculi^[2]

Pocota

• Pocota personata^[2]

Syritta

• Syritta pipiens^[2]

Tropidia

• Tropidia scita^[2]

Xylota

• Xylota abiens^[2]

• Xylota coeruleiventris^[2]

• Xylota florum^[2]

• Xylota jakutorum^[1]

• Xylota segnis^[2]

• Xylota sylvarum^[2]

• Xylota tarda^[2]

• Xylota xanthocnema^[2]

Subfamily Microdontinae

See main article: Microdontinae.

Microdon

• Microdon analis^[2] (syn. M. eggeri)

• Microdon devius^[2]

• Microdon mutabilis^[2]

• Microdon myrmicae^[31]

References

Bibliography

• Book: Ball, Stuart . Morris, Roger . Britain's Hoverflies: An Introduction to the Hoverflies of Britain . 2013 . . Woodstock, Oxfordshire . 978-0-691-15659-0 . 296.
• Book: Chandler, Peter J. . 1998 . Checklists of Insects of the British Isles (New Series) Part 1: Diptera . . 12 . 1 . 1–234 . 0-901546-82-8 . . London . Chandler.
• Book: Stubbs, Alan E. . Falk, Steven J . British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide . 2nd . 1983 . . London . 1-899935-03-7 . 253, xv . StubbsFalk.

Notes and References

1. Book: Stubbs . Alan E . Falk . Steven J . British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide . 1983 . British Entomological and Natural History Society . London . 9780950289137 . 253 . 1st.
2. Chandler. Peter J.. 1998. Checklists of Insects of the British Isles (New Series) Part 1: Diptera. 12 . . 1–234 . Royal Entomological Society.
3. Grayson . Andrew . 2002 . Platycheirus amplus Curran, 1927 (Diptera, Syrphidae) new to England . Dipterists Digest . 9 . 1 . Second series . 87–93.
4. Stubbs . Alan E. . 2002 . Advances in the understanding of the Platycheirus scutatus (Meigen) complex in Britain, including the addition of Platycheirus aurolateralis sp. n. (Diptera, Syrphidae) . Dipterists Digest . 9 . 1 . Second series . 75–80.
5. de Tiefenau . Pierre Goeldlin . Maibach, Alain . Speight, Martin C. D. . 1990 . Sur quelques especes de Platycheirus (Diptera, Syrphidae) nouvelles ou maconnues . Dipterists Digest . 5 . 1 . First series . 19–44 . fr.
6. Vockeroth . J. R. . 1990 . Revision of the Nearctic species of Platycheirus (Diptera, Syrphidae) . . 122 . 4 . 659–766 . 10.4039/Ent122659-7.
7. Falk . Steven J. . Stubbs . Alan E. . 1991 . Further records and observations of Platycheirus species (Syrphidae) recently added to the British list, with discussion on the identification of P. ramsaerensis . Dipterists Digest . 10 . 1 . First series . 40–45.
8. Rotheray . G. E. . 1998 . Platycheirus splendidus sp. n. from Britain formerly confused with Platycheirus scutatus (Diptera: Syrphidae) . . 49 . 4 . 271–276.
9. Book: Stubbs. A. E.. Falk. S. J.. British hoverflies, an illustrated identification guide. 2002. British Entomological and Natural History Society. Reading. 978-1899935055. 1–469. Second.
10. Rabarts . Ian W. . 18 February 2011 . Dasysyrphus pauxillus (Williston) (Diptera, Syrphidae) new to Britain in Breckland . Dipterists Digest . Dipterists Forum. 17 . 2 . Second Series . 157–161.
11. Parker . Mick . 2013 . An additional British site for Dasysyrphus pauxillus (Williston) (Diptera, Syrphidae) . Dipterists Digest . Dipterists Forum. 20 . 2 . Second Series . 119.
12. Chandler. Peter J.. December 2011. Corrections and changes to the Diptera Checklist. Dipterists Digest. 18. 2. Second Series. 203–204.
13. MacGowan . Iain . Watt, Kenneth . 1994 . A further record of Parasyrphus nigritarsis (Zetterstedt, 1843) (Diptera: Syrphidae), with a review of its known distribution in Britain . Dipterists Digest . 1 . 1 . Second series . 26–29.
14. Stubbs . Alan E. . 2012 . Xanthogramma stackelbergi Violovitsh, 1975 (Diptera: Syrphidae), in Britain . Dipterists Digest . 19 . 1 . Second series . 102.
15. Wright . Adam S. . 2013 . Scaeva dignota (Rondani, (Diptera: Syrphidae), New to Britain . Dipterists Digest . 20 . 2 . Second series . 151–152.
16. Goeldlin de Tiefenau. P.. Sur plusieurs especes de Sphaerophoria (Dipt., Syrphidae) nouvelles ou meconnues des regions palearctique et nearctique. Mitteilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft. 1989. 62. 41–66.
17. Plant. Colin. W.. Sphaerophoria bankowskae Goeldlin, 1989 (Syrphidae) recorded in mainland Britain. Dipterists Digest. 1990. 3. 32–33. 2 July 2015. First Series. Dipterists Forum.
18. Goeldlin de Tiefenau. P.. Contribution a l'etude systematique et ecologique des Syrphidae (Dipt.) de la Suisse occidentale.. Mitteilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft. 1974. 47. 3–4. 151–252.
19. Speight. Martin C. D.. Sphaerophoria fatarum in the British Isles (Syrphidae). Dipterists Digest. 1989. 2. 34. 2 July 2015. First Series. Dipterists Forum.
20. Claussen. C.. Sphaerophoria potentillae n. sp. - eine neue Syrphiden-Art aus Nordwestdeutschland (Diptera: Syrphidae). Entomologische Zeitschrift. 1984. 94. 17. 245–250. 0013-8843.
21. Stubbs. Alan E.. An additional British Sphaerophoria discovered in Devon. Dipterists Digest. 1989. 2. 34–35. 2 July 2015. First Series. Dipterists Forum.
22. Parker . M. J. . 2001 . Cheilosia ahenea von Roser (Diptera, Syrphidae) new to Great Britain . Dipterists Digest . 8 . 1 . Second series . 24–26.
23. Collins, G. A. . Halstead, A. J. . amp. August 2008 . Cheilosia caerulescens (Meigen, 1822) (Diptera, Syrphidae) new to Britain . Dipterists Digest. Second series . 15 . 1 . 23–26.
24. Falk . Steven . 2002 . Cheilosia psilophthalma Becker, 1894 (Diptera, Syrphidae) confirmed as present in Britain . Dipterists Digest . 9 . 2 . Second series . 87–93.
25. Drake . C. Martin . 2006 . Orthonevra intermedia Lundbeck, 1916 (Diptera, Syrphidae) new to Britain . Dipterists Digest . 13 . 2 . Second series . 87–91.
26. Stubbs . Alan . 1994 . Sphegina (Asiosphegina) sibirica Stackelberg, 1953 a new species and sub-genus of hoverfly (Diptera. Syrphidae) in Britain . Dipterists Digest . 1 . 1 . Second series . 23–25.
27. Stuke . Jens-Hermann . 1996 . Helophilus affmis new to the British Isles (Diptera, Syrphidae) . Dipterists Digest . 3 . 1 . Second series . 45–46.
28. Wright . Adam S. . 2013 . Eumerus sogdianus Stackelberg (Diptera, Syrphidae) new to Britain . Dipterists Digest. 20. 1 . 2 . 15–16. .
29. Irwin . A.G. . 2012 . The hoverfly Platynochaetus setosus (Fabricius) (Diptera: Syrphidae), found alive in Britain . Dipterists Digest . 19 . 1 . Second series . 99.
30. Thornhill . Alan . Pennards . Gerard W.A. . Morris . Roger K.A. . Chalcosyrphus piger (Fabricius, 1794) (Diptera, Syrphidae) new to Britain . Dipterists Digest . 2022 . 29 . 1 . 84–86.
31. Schönrogge . K. . Barr . B. . Wardlaw . J. C. . Napper . E. . Gardner . M. G. . Breen . J. . Elmes . G. W. . Thomas . J. A. . 2002 . When rare species become endangered: cryptic speciation in myrmecophilous hoverflies . . 75 . 3 . 291–300 . 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2002.tb02070.x.