Platycheirus rosarum explained

Platycheirus rosarum is a species of hoverfly found in the Palearctic. Like its close relative Platycheirus granditarsus, it can be found in marshy meadows and ditches; indeed, the two species can often be found together. The flight time is between May and October, though it peaks in abundance in June and July.^{[1] [2]}

Description

External imagesFor terms, see: Morphology of Diptera.
Tergite 2 is black. Tergite 3 and sometimes tergite 4 have a divided whitish to yellowish band. Male metatarsus 1 lacks a protuberance. Wings have a violet sheen.

See references for determination.^{[3] [4] [5] [6]}

Distribution

Palearctic

Fennoscandia south to Iberia and the Mediterranean basin, Ireland eastward through Europe to European Russia and Siberia. Nearctic: Alaska to Nova Scotia and south to New Jersey.^{[7] [8] [9]}

Biology

Habitat: River, stream and pond margins with tall herbaceous vegetation and fen. Around the periphery of bogs, Salix swamp.^[10]

Notes and References

1. Book: Ball, S.G. . Morris, R.K.A. . Provisional atlas of British hoverflies (Diptera, Syrphidae) . 2000 . Biological Record Centre . Monks Wood, UK . 1-870393-54-6 . 167 pages .
2. Book: Stubbs, Alan E. . Falk, Steven J . British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide . 2nd . 1983 . . London . 1-899935-03-7 . 253, xvpp .
3. Van Veen, M. (2004). Hoverflies of Northwest Europe: identification keys to the Syrphidae. 256pp. KNNV Publishing, Utrecht.addendum.
4. 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.
5. 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. .
6. Coe, R.L. (1953). "Diptera: Syrphidae". Handbks. Ident. Br. Insects 10(1): 1-98. R. Ent. Soc. London. pdf.
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.
10. Speight . M.C.D. . 2011 . Species accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera) . Syrph the Net, the Database of European Syrphidae . 65 . 285pp .