Scaeva affinis explained

Scaeva affinis, commonly known as the white-bowed smoothwing, is a species of hoverfly found in western North America.^[1] The larval form feeds voraciously on aphids.^[2] Scaeva affinis is the only Scaeva likely to be encountered in the Nearctic realm, where it is common in the west and rare in the east.^[3] This species is believed to be migratory.^[4] In 1823, Thomas Say originally described it as "tergum black with three yellow lunules on each side...inhabits Arkansa."^[5] S. affinis was later combined with (and then determined to be a distinct species and was split back off from) Scaeva pyrastri.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Web site: White-bowed Smoothwing (Scaeva affinis) . iNaturalist . 2023-10-27 . en-US.
2. Web site: Species Scaeva affinis . 2023-10-28 . bugguide.net.
3. Book: Skevington . Jeffrey H. . Field Guide to the Flower Flies of Northeastern North America . Locke . Michelle M. . Young . Andrew D. . Moran . Kevin . Crins . William J. . Marshall . Stephen A. . 2019-05-14 . Princeton University Press . 978-0-691-19251-2 . 418 . en.
4. Web site: Insect Migrations . 2023-10-28 . Royal Ontario Museum . en.
5. Web site: American entomology. A description of the insects of North America, Say, Thomas, 1787-1834., Ord, George, 1781-1866, Le Conte, John Lawrence, ed. 1825-1883 . Making of America (University of Michigan).
6. Web site: Field Guide to the Flower Flies of Northeastern North America .