Gallery Links
Users Online
· Guests Online: 11

· Members Online: 0

· Total Members: 4,990
· Newest Member: Ametasoma
Forum Threads
Theme Switcher
Switch to:
Last Seen Users
· John Carr00:15:07
· Tony Irwin00:15:40
· DedeLab00:25:10
· ESant00:30:59
· evdb00:51:46
· Jan Willem00:55:33
· smol01:28:19
· Auratus01:49:50
· JWV02:04:25
· runetk02:11:24
Latest Photo Additions
View Thread
Diptera.info :: Family forums :: Syrphidae
Who is here? 1 guest(s)
 Print Thread
First Syrphids around in Ostwestfalen/Germany :-)
Juergen Peters
#1 Print Post
Posted on 23-03-2006 21:38
User Avatar

Member

Location: northwest Germany
Posts: 13952
Joined: 11.09.04

Hello!

Three days ago I watched the first Eristalis here but wasn't able to take a picture, today I managed it :-) - although from quite a distance.

insekteninfos.de/forum/060323/Eristalis_tenax.jpg

On the snowdrops at the wood's edge were feeding some honey bees and also several Episyrphus balteatus:

insekteninfos.de/forum/060323/Episyrphus_balteatus.jpg

I also found a third Syrphid species, but it flew off just when I wanted to actuate the trigger of my camera :-(. It was black with comma shaped markings on its abdomen. I think it must have been Melangyna quadrimaculata.

For the butterfly friends: also for the first time in 2006 the Small Tortoiseshells (Aglais urticae) were flying (26 (!) individuals on less than 300 m meadow):
http://insektenin...icae_1.jpg
Best regards,
Jürgen

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Juergen Peters
Borgholzhausen, Germany
WWW: http://insektenfo...
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 
http://insektenfotos.de/forum
Zeegers
#2 Print Post
Posted on 24-03-2006 17:26
Member

Location: Soest, NL
Posts: 18812
Joined: 21.07.04

Hi Juergen


Your comma-syrphid is most likely Scaeva selenitica.
As the other two species, adults may hibernate.
Melangyna quadrimaculata definitely does not match your description (markings quite rectangular in that species).


Theo Zeegers
 
dipdip
#3 Print Post
Posted on 24-03-2006 20:08
User Avatar

Member

Location: Thunersee Switzerland
Posts: 359
Joined: 17.12.05

Hello!
Why do you think it is S. selenitica? Here in Berner Oberland the first syrphid I found was S. pyrastri, here on Erantis on 19.03.2006. From that day on I saw them every day, but only females. Seems the boys still sleep.
Nice day! Maja
dipdip attached the following image:


[58.67Kb]
 
Juergen Peters
#4 Print Post
Posted on 24-03-2006 20:58
User Avatar

Member

Location: northwest Germany
Posts: 13952
Joined: 11.09.04

Hello, Theo!

Zeegers wrote:
Your comma-syrphid is most likely Scaeva selenitica.
As the other two species, adults may hibernate.
Melangyna quadrimaculata definitely does not match your description (markings quite rectangular in that species).


Unfortunately I could only catch a short glimpse at it before it flew away, but it was definitely no Scaeva. I know only the abundant Scaeva pyrastri from here, which is much larger! And I never found it before May.
That fly yesterday was for sure a species, which I never saw before and which is not featured in my books, so I looked at www.syrphidae.com. The first species that resembled mine there was Anasimyia transfuga with its tiny comma shaped spots (smaller than those of Scaeva). But I do not know anything about that species and whether it flies so early in the year and appears here in Ostwestfalen. So I moved to the next resembling ones, which were Melangyna quadrimaculata and M. umbellatarum, which are very early flying species. The spots of M. umbellatarum were too big, and additionally the general body shape and habit impression of the fly on the M. quadrimaculatum-pic on http://www.syrphi...ent=Europe were striking. Meanwhile I saw other photos of M. quadrimaculata with orange-yellow markings (pics by Gerard Pennards), which let me question my first opinion. The three or four pairs of small spots on the otherwise shining black body of "my" fly were pure white. I am even not sure if it was a Syrphid, but I don't find other flies resembling it...
Best regards,
Jürgen

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Juergen Peters
Borgholzhausen, Germany
WWW: http://insektenfo...
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 
http://insektenfotos.de/forum
Zeegers
#5 Print Post
Posted on 25-03-2006 11:20
Member

Location: Soest, NL
Posts: 18812
Joined: 21.07.04

Oke, let's slow down.

First of all, M. umbellatarum is not an early spring species.

Secondly, M. quadrimacualata does not have comma-shaped markings, so your description does not fit.

Thirdly, hibernation of Scaeva pyrastri is quite unusual, whereas it is common in Sc. selenitica. At least in The Netherlands.

Fourthly, I'm not sure about the picture. It is a Scaeva no doubt, but given the point of view I cannot be sure about the species. It could be Sc. pyrastri.

Still, seeing many pyrastri and no selenitica at all on a day in March does seem quite unlikely to me.

So, be sure to check !


Theo
 
dipdip
#6 Print Post
Posted on 25-03-2006 20:26
User Avatar

Member

Location: Thunersee Switzerland
Posts: 359
Joined: 17.12.05

So Scaeva questions don't help J?rgen, I see. May be you allow me anyway to ask another
- I saw white markings
- I see in the picture bowed markings that come nearer to the beginning of the segment in the middle than on the side.
- I don't see black rings on tibias
But I must say that I never catched a real ventral view. Would that be a definite prove?
Thank you for helping Maja
dipdip attached the following image:


[24.49Kb]
 
Juergen Peters
#7 Print Post
Posted on 25-03-2006 21:38
User Avatar

Member

Location: northwest Germany
Posts: 13952
Joined: 11.09.04

Hello, Theo and Maja!

Zeegers wrote:
First of all, M. umbellatarum is not an early spring species.

Secondly, M. quadrimacualata does not have comma-shaped markings, so your description does not fit.

Thirdly, hibernation of Scaeva pyrastri is quite unusual, whereas it is common in Sc. selenitica. At least in The Netherlands.


I think without a photo the identification of my early Syrphid will lead to no result and remain speculation. The only thing I know for sure, is that it was no Scaeva. This genus was one of the most abundant here last summer, and I know it quite well and took many photos:

insektenfotos.de/Scaeva%20pyrastri%20(Halbmondschwebfliege),%20Maennchen_001.jpg

http://insektenfo...en_010.jpg
http://insektenfo...en_011.jpg
http://insektenfo...en_001.jpg
http://insektenfo...en_005.jpg
http://insektenfo...en_007.jpg

I think those flies are all S. pyrastri, I never watched an undoubted S. selenitica here and never a Scaeva before May. Most of the photos above were taken from July to early September.
Best regards,
Jürgen

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Juergen Peters
Borgholzhausen, Germany
WWW: http://insektenfo...
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 
http://insektenfotos.de/forum
Jump to Forum:
Similar Threads
Thread Forum Replies Last Post
Two early syrphids id? Syrphidae 6 01-06-2024 19:56
Empididae from Hessen Germany Diptera (adults) 2 28-01-2024 13:18
Callicera in Hesse, Germany Syrphidae 8 23-10-2023 22:48
Syrphids from Greece => Merodon sp. Syrphidae 9 27-09-2023 20:38
Chrysotoxum sp.? Germany Konstanz Diptera (adults) 3 02-05-2023 21:51
Date and time
11 December 2024 12:57
Login
Username

Password



Not a member yet?
Click here to register.

Forgotten your password?
Request a new one here.
Temporary email?
Due to fact this site has functionality making use of your email address, any registration using a temporary email address will be rejected.

Paul
Donate
Please, help to make
Diptera.info
possible and enable
further improvements!
Latest Articles
Syrph the Net
Those who want to have access to the Syrph the Net database need to sign the
License Agreement -
Click to Download


Public files of Syrph the Net can be downloaded HERE

Last updated: 25.08.2011
Shoutbox
You must login to post a message.

08.11.24 16:10
Www.abebooks.com

29.07.24 13:19
Don't suppose anyone knows anwhere selling a copy of Contributions to a Manual of Palaearctic Diptera 2? Always wanted a copy.... Smile

16.07.24 11:37
TumbsUp

11.07.24 12:59
Following up on the update provided by Paul on the donations received in 2024, I just made a donation. Follow my example Wink

17.08.23 15:23
Aneomochtherus

17.08.23 13:54
Tony, I HAD a blank in the file name. Sorry!

17.08.23 13:44
Tony, thanks! I tried it (see "Cylindromyia" Wink but don't see the image in the post.

17.08.23 11:37
pjt - just send the post and attached image. Do not preview thread, as this will lose the link to the image,

16.08.23 08:37
Tried to attach an image to a forum post. jpg, 32kB, 72dpi, no blanks, ... File name is correctly displayed, but when I click "Preview Thread" it just vanishes. Help!

23.02.23 21:29
Has anyone used the Leica DM500, any comments.

Render time: 1.03 seconds | 205,852,711 unique visits