Hoverfly ID confirmation/help

[Monkey Orchid]

Would anyone be able to let me know, have I identified the following hoverflies correctly?


1. Yellow-belted hoverfly Chrysotoxem bicinctum



2. Pied hoverfly Scaeva pyrastri



3. Marmalade hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus (male on geranium, female on wild parnsip)



4. Lunar hoverfly Eupeodes luniger



5. Lesser banded hoverfly Syrphus vitripennis

[Geoff F]

I have no problems with the first 3. Episyrphus balteatus is the minimist version with reduced black.

But I would like an expert opinion for the last 2. No. 4 does resemble a broad banded Eupeodes luniger; however I thought these broad yellow bands only occured in the male and yours, I think, is female. Although I may be wrong in both cases!

I would like to see some better views of the legs. Most probably one of the Eupeodes species but the only suggestions I can think of are rather rare. Scaeva albomaculata is just about possible but that is also a rare species.

I think No. 5 is probably Syrphus vitripennis or S. ribesii but, once again, I would like a better view of the legs.

Perhaps a more knowledgeable person can help, especially with No. 4.

[Dogghound]

1. Chrysotoxum bicinctum
2. Melangyna umbellatarum
3. Episyrphus balteatus
4. Eupeodes luniger
5. Syrphus sp

[tristanba]

Re #2 - I think you have photographed two different flies; the first image Melangyna umbellatarum and the second Scaeva pyrastri

[Jason Green]

A nice set, MO. Where did you get all those common names from? Some I hadn't heard of

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by tristanba

Re #2 - I think you have photographed two different flies; the first image Melangyna umbellatarum and the second Scaeva pyrastri

Yes ive just noticed this now.

[Monkey Orchid]

Thank you everyone for the IDs. Much appreciated.

Jason, the common names were taken from a little leaflet entitled 'Hoverflies and their relatives', number 10 in a set of BBC Wildlife Magazine pocket guides produced (as free give-aways) in 2004. Illustrations in the leaflet are by Chris Shields, selection and captions by Richard A. Jones. I don't know if these leaflets are still available: at the time that they came out you got one free with each monthly issue of the magazine, but they were also available to buy at about £1 each. Topics for these pockets guides were: Garden creatures, Butterflies, Shore life, Spiders, Bumblebees and other bees and wasps, Hoverflies and their relatives, Garden fungi, Winter coastal waders, Winter wildfowl, Pebbles, Mosses and liverworts.

[aeshna5]

Though these English names may be useful for people who are put off by scientific names, the real drawback is that as they are newly invented, most entomologists don't know these names, as they use the correct scientific names + hardly any text book uses them, so trying to find a species just using the English name will leave you with a big blank as you try looking them up!

[Monkey Orchid]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Though these English names may be useful for people who are put off by scientific names, the real drawback is that as they are newly invented, most entomologists don't know these names, as they use the correct scientific names + hardly any text book uses them, so trying to find a species just using the English name will leave you with a big blank as you try looking them up!

Yep. That's why when I'm finding out about stuff or labelling photos I always use the scientific name. Although of course, in these days of genetic identification and splitter-enthusiasm, scientific names do sometimes change, too...

I quite like the inventiveness of the common names. When working with groups of school kids on minibeast safaris etc, I would usually tell them the scientific name of each critter (we had a lot of fun with how bizarre some of these names are), but then I would encourage them to come up with their own invented common name as well, based on appearance and behaviour. Thus we would end up with their own versions of common names, such as 'springy sap muncher' and 'green-backed grass devourer'.

[diggleken]

Originally Posted by Monkey Orchid

I quite like the inventiveness of the common names. When working with groups of school kids on minibeast safaris etc, I would usually tell them the scientific name of each critter (we had a lot of fun with how bizarre some of these names are), but then I would encourage them to come up with their own invented common name as well, based on appearance and behaviour. Thus we would end up with their own versions of common names, such as 'springy sap muncher' and 'green-backed grass devourer'.

I like that approach MO - use scientific, but get them interested with their own made up names - I'll try that on my mini beasts , and others, forays/walks.
Cheers
Ken