Hoverfly help please

[Chas]

I would appreciate some help with this larger than Syrphus rebesii Hoverfly with a yellow face and unusually all yellow legs. Thanks in anticipation.
Charlie

[JRsbugs]

Chas, are you sure they are both the same fly?

The first one I can't be sure about, the second looks like Eupeodes latifasciatus male.

Janet

[Geoff F]

Yes, I agree with Janet about the second specimen which does look different to the first image, compare the black edging on the abdomen.

We had another question recently about a hoverfly which resembles No. 1; and I have a similar little beastie in my 'unconfirmed files'.

The best I can suggest is another E. latifasciatus but this one is female. We really need a better view of the head to confirm the sex.

[JRsbugs]

The first doesn't have the correct shapes for E. latifasciatus. Without seeing the hind femora it's difficult to say which it is.

[Geoff F]

That, Janet, is what puzzled me over the previous post with a similar specimen. I did ask for another opinion but I think you must have missed that one.

At the end of the day, it had exactly the same markings as this one and the black on the frons was slightly unusual. But after checking everything I could think of, I came back to probably an unusually marked female E. latifasciatus; although that was more down to a lack of alternatives than any real convictions.

But with this one, the first question is male or female, and we can't really get very far without that answer.

[Geoff F]

This is the previous post which confused me, Janet 1 hover and 2 others and I'm still not happy with my reply.

[Jason Green]

Evening Charlie,

I think the first is an egg-laying female Syrphus ribesii/vitripennis-type thing in my opinion, and a low perspective is plating tricks. You can't rule-out torvus either - the only bit you can see is the apical-end which seems dark... but then, it is under the wing isn't it! The very femoral-tip looks darker still. Another shot would be great!

Yes, the second looks like Eupeodes latifasciatus - a seperate one from the first

Take care,

Jason

[JRsbugs]

Geoff, I've just replied on the other thread, I think you were correct.

It's a good job I looked at that Syrphidae site, I've just finished editing some pics I took two days ago and one I thought had strange shapes but so far I haven't seen another which is on there, Eupeodes bucculatus. This one looks good for that, a female.

My gosh, I checked and that one is very rare! I know I took pics of a male which looks like that, it was the next day but I haven't edited the pics yet! I assumed it was a strange E. corollae, must get these checked out properly!

I think the first one above is a female, you can see it ovipositing rather than a call of nature. Look at the egg on the edge of the leaf! The marks look to me like Syrphus vitripennis, but without seeing the rest that should be treated as speculation.

[Chas]

Thanks for your input everyone. I am pretty sure.. ......but not certain that this is the same individual in both photos. It was definitely egg laying as well. It's body was quite bulky and much bigger than Syrphus rebisii (twice the size of Epysyrphus balteatus for example which was along side it nearby. . It has/had all yellow legs, tob and fib, front and back with black only on the very tips (feet). The face is/was also yellow.

[Chas]

Three more shots of it if it helps.