Megasyrphus erraticus explained

Megasyrphus erraticus is a Holarctic species of hoverfly associated with mature conifer woodlands and plantations.^[1]

Description

External imagesFor terms see Morphology of Diptera
M. erraticus is a large (10–15 mm. wing length) wasp mimic with a yellow pattern. The thoracic dorsum is blackish and shiny, in contrast to the greenish dorsum of most species of Syrphus and Epistrophe. Without long, dense hairs. Scutellum yellow. Wing clear, without dark patch. Face with a black middle line. Frontal lunule black. Hind tibiae with black ring after middle.^{[2] [3] [4] [5]} The male genitalia and larva is figured by Dusek and Laska (1967).^[6]

Distribution

Palaearctic and Nearctic. Fennoscandia South to the Pyrenees. Ireland East to Central Europe and the Alps and Apennines (becomes increasingly montane toward southern parts of its range). Then European Russia and the Russian Far East, Siberia to the Pacific coast (Sakhalin and Kunashir islands) Also in the Himalayas (Nepal). In North America from Alaska to Mexico.^{[7] [8] [9]}

Biology

Habitat is Abies, Picea, Pinus forest.^[10] Arboreal, descending to visit flowers including yellow composites; white umbellifers, Bellis, Calluna vulgaris, Cardamine pratense, Cirsium vulgare, Crataegus, Epilobium angustifolium, Euphorbia hyberna, Geranium, Lonicera periclymenum, Prunus spinosa, Ranunculus, Rubus idaeus, Rubus fruticosus, Salix, Sorbus aucuparia, Stellaria, Veronica, Viburnum.^[11] The flight period is May to July. The larvae feed on aphids.

Notes and References

1. Book: Stubbs, Alan E. . Falk, Steven J. . amp . 1983 . British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide. 253, xv . British Entomological & Natural History Society.
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. Bei-Bienko, G.Y. & Steyskal, G.C. (1988). Keys to the Insects of the European Part of the USSR, Volume V: Diptera and Siphonaptera, Part I. Amerind Publishing Co., New Delhi. .
5. Coe, R.L. (1953). Diptera: Syrphidae. Handbks. ident. Br. insects, 10(1): 1-98. R. ent. Soc. London. pdf
6. Dusek, J. & Laska, P. (1967). Versuch zum aufbau eines Naturlichen Systems mitteleuropaischer Arten der Unterfamilie Syrphinae (Diptera). Acta sc. nat. Brno 1: 349-390.
7. [Fauna Europaea]
8. Peck, L.V. (1988). Syrphidae. In: Soos, A. & Papp, L. (eds.) Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera 8: 11-230. Akad. Kiado, Budapest.
9. Book: Vockeroth . J.R. . 1992 . The Flower Flies of the Subfamily Syrphinae of Canada, Alaska, and Greenland (Diptera: Syrphidae). Part 18. The Insects and Arachnids of Canada . 1–456 . Canadian Government Pub Centre . Ottawa, Ontario . 0-660-13830-1 . 2017-01-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130615031244/http://esc-sec.ca/aafcmonographs/insects_and_arachnids_part_18.pdf . 2013-06-15 . dead .
10. Speight . M.C.D. . 2011 . Species accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera). Syrph the Net, the database of European Syrphidae . 65 . 285pp .
11. de Buck, N. (1990). Bloembezoek en bestuivingsecologie van Zweefvliegen (Diptera, Syrphidae) in het bijzonder voor België. Doc. Trav. IRSNB, no.60, 1-167.