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Diptera.info :: Family forums :: Syrphidae
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Which Syrphidae rat tail larvae?
Line Sabroe
#1 Print Post
Posted on 14-01-2014 17:13
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Location: Aalborg, North Jutland, Denmark
Posts: 61
Joined: 06.10.13

Found hiding under decaying leaves in the bird bath in my garden in Aalborg, Denmark on November 24th of 2013.
Length without the breathing tube about 10 mm. feeding on some kind of red-brown algae.
I've come to the conclusion that they are most likely either Helophilus or Eristalis larvae.
Can anyone help with an ID?
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Line Sabroe
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Posted on 14-01-2014 17:14
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Location: Aalborg, North Jutland, Denmark
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A closer look
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Line Sabroe
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Posted on 14-01-2014 17:15
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Location: Aalborg, North Jutland, Denmark
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From the side
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Line Sabroe
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Posted on 14-01-2014 17:16
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Location: Aalborg, North Jutland, Denmark
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and belly up
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Ectemnius
#5 Print Post
Posted on 14-01-2014 17:47
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Location: The Netherlands
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Hello Line Sabroe,

I would say, under these circumstances, to think about Myathropa florea. I once found larvae in similar conditions and next spring there emerged some nice Myathropa specimens.

Greetings,

Ectemnius
 
Line Sabroe
#6 Print Post
Posted on 25-01-2014 15:19
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Location: Aalborg, North Jutland, Denmark
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Hello Ectemnius

Thank you for answering, and I'm sorry I've been so long in responding.

I do not think that these are Myathropa florea larvae. I have checked with a key (Danish book Danmarks Svirrefluer by E. Torp) and it states that florea larvae have a much longer breathing tube (about 3 to 4 times the body length) and the front breathing horns should be paler.

There is one more possibility besides Helophilus and Eristalis, and that is Sericomyia silentis - although I only spotted a fly of this species on two occasions, whereas there has been plenty of the other two species on the site. This doesn't rule it out, though. In favour of Sericomyia silentis is the size and shape of the front breathing horns, that looks rather short and stumpy.

Sadly the quality of the images are not really good enough to clearly show the characters that I need to use the key properly.

Best regards
Line
 
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23.06.25 18:10
If you have some spare money, there is a copy (together with keys to pupae and larvae) for sale by Hermann L. Strack, Loguivy Plougras, France

23.06.25 11:18
Appreciate it, Tony Irwin! I got the hint to use the key next to Langton and Pinder key for females of Chironomidae. So no specific queries, except the keys... I will keep this on my list and hope th

19.06.25 15:33
I have the hard copy book, if you have any specific queries, but I'm not scanning the 500+ pages!

02.06.25 18:26
Anyone has "Chironomidae of the Holarctic region. Keys and diagnoses. Part 3. Adult Males Entomologica Scandinavica Supplement 34"? smolwaarneming@gma
il.com

28.05.25 20:57
I have Russian Coenosia. nikita6510@ya.ru

28.05.25 12:25
Is someone able to share with me "A key to the Russian species of the genus Coenosia"?

08.05.25 18:22
I have

03.05.25 08:35
Does someone has a scan of Nartshuk E.P. 2003. Key to families of Diptera (Insecta) of the fauna of Russian and adjacent countries. Proceedings of the Zoological Institute Vol. 294: 1-252 for me?

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