Insect ID Help Please

clairescavys · #1 (**permalink**) 01-11-2009, 03:55 PM

Hi everyone

I've taken a photo of a wasp-like insect, I think it may be a Drone Fly, but my insect knowledge isn't great, so if anyone could help ID this insect (photo below), I would very grateful.

Many thanks.

ChrisR · #2 (**permalink**) 01-11-2009, 04:19 PM

Yes - only 1 pair of wings so it must be a fly ... it is a hoverfly called Helophilus (probably pendulus)

Geoff F · #3 (**permalink**) 01-11-2009, 07:02 PM

Impossible to go beyond Helophilus species without a clear view of the legs and face.

But a couple of pointers for future reference: no narrow waist, which is another clue that it isn't a wasp. Also looking at the wing veins you can see that around three quarters of the way along it's wing and roughly mid width there is a deep U shaped bend in a vein, which means Eristalini family. And from that it is only a short step to Helophilus.