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 Sphaerophoria taeniata?
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| Hurlzzz |
Posted on 15-08-2023 09:53
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Member Location: Posts: 19 Joined: 07.08.23 |
Can anyone help me identify this hoverfly I photographed on the Savoy Cabbages (probably not a food plant!) in my garden in Ireland (03/09/2021)? It has wasp-like colourings but has a long (10-12mm) slender body which tapers gently, almost to a point. (I guess this, along with the gap between the eyes, means it's a female.) Yellow legs and palps. Longitudinal striping on the bronze-coloured thorax. Seen from the side (I have other photos) the body is quite thin and flat and has tiny yellow hairs on the scutellum. The first 4 tergites have simple black bands but then towards the rear it changes to a complex combination of clubs and dots. The yellow bands are quit separate with no axial connection between them. Having looked at some other sites, it looks to me like Sphaerophoria taeniata. Unfortunately, I am told this species is not present in Ireland but yellow hairs on the scutellum would indicate S. taeniata (rather than S. batava) Hurlzzz attached the following image:  [134.85Kb] Edited by Hurlzzz on 15-08-2023 10:19 |
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| Hurlzzz |
Posted on 15-08-2023 10:25
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Member Location: Posts: 19 Joined: 07.08.23 |
Yellow hairs on scutellum
Hurlzzz attached the following image:  [119.5Kb] Edited by Hurlzzz on 15-08-2023 10:26 |
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| Juergen Peters |
Posted on 15-08-2023 20:30
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 Member Location: northwest Germany Posts: 14072 Joined: 11.09.04 |
Hello, generally Sphaerophoria females cannot be identified from a photo. Your flies look exactly like the Sphaerophoria scripta females (recognized because of copula with a male (identifiable from a photo) S. scripta), which are very numerous here in northwest Germany at the moment. Juergen Peters attached the following image:  [121.79Kb] Best regards, Jürgen -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Juergen Peters Borgholzhausen, Germany WWW: http://insektenfo... -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= |
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| Hurlzzz |
Posted on 16-08-2023 11:53
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Member Location: Posts: 19 Joined: 07.08.23 |
Wow! What a lucky shot Jürgen! "And you shall know them by the company they keep" Of course Sphaerophoria females are mostly impossible to tell apart. I was just wondering if the complete separation of the black bands on my one was significant? I see that the bands of tergite 2 and 4 are joined in your photo. This is just like the other one I posted (seen this year). I have never seen a Sphaerophoria male in the wild. Do you have any tips for where or when to find them? Thanks again! John |
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| Juergen Peters |
Posted on 16-08-2023 18:12
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Member Location: northwest Germany Posts: 14072 Joined: 11.09.04 |
Hello John, Hurlzzz wrote: Of course Sphaerophoria females are mostly impossible to tell apart. I was just wondering if the complete separation of the black bands on my one was significant? the colouration and markings are very variable. That does not help in identifying. I have never seen a Sphaerophoria male in the wild. Really? That's nearly unimaginable for me. Do you have any tips for where or when to find them? Sorry, the conditions here seem to be very different from those in Ireland. They (males and females) are really ubiquitous here from March to October. Sphaerophoria scripta is one of the most numerous hover flies here in Germany. Actually I find hundreds of them every day. Best regards, Jürgen -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Juergen Peters Borgholzhausen, Germany WWW: http://insektenfo... -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= |
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| Hurlzzz |
Posted on 23-08-2023 19:05
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Member Location: Posts: 19 Joined: 07.08.23 |
Some guys have all the luck! |
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