Miner bee and 2 hoverflies

[Lord V]

Captured these in the garden yesterday (Worthing South coast) all firsts for 2011.
Any ideas on IDs for the miner bee and first hoverfly and confirmation on the 2nd hoverfly.

Thanks
Brian V

Miner bee Andrena sp.



Hoverfly



Hoverfly Syrphus torvus ?

[JRsbugs]

Hi Brian,

I also got my first Andrena yesterday! Mine was also a male, similar to yours but mine has a shock of black hairs on the face. The brownish hairs on the abdomen steer me towards A. bicolor for mine which is early, it was around 9mm long. The thorax hairs on mine are quite brown. The other alternative is A. clarkella as I also have that, all seems to fit except the hair colour on the abdomen but somehow it looks more like A. clarkella. I don't know how this computes with your location as you could expect some species to be earlier there and you know how difficult it can be with males!

I can't be sure about your first syrphid, ideally the spots on the abdomen need to be seen. However, from what I can see I would say Eupeodes luniger, (the spots don't reach the sides) but E. corollae males tend to have chunkier spots. The spots on the first segment seem to bleed upwards further than is normal though! From what I know about the species we have here I can't think it would be anything else. The dark line towards the mouth also fits E. luniger.

The second syrphid does look like Syrpus torvus, hairy eyes!

Janet

[JRsbugs]

The male Andrena has an 'air' of Andrena carantonica, but that is purely my view!

[Matt Smith]

"Male Andrena" is probably the best you can do with this one, though I think it is a little too early to be seeing A.carantonica (= A.scotica) at the moment.

[Geoff F]

Like many others, apparently, I had my first Andrena like bee today, yet to try identification.

The S. torvus is possible and there is some hair on the eyes. But females usually have little eye hair compared with males. The yellow bands are quite narrow which would also fit for an early season specimen.

However, I don't think there is any guaranteed method of identification from a photo. So I would insert the word 'possibly' in the description.

With regard to the first hoverfly. I am definitely not sure of this one just going from one photo at that angle. But one suggestion does come to mind. A rather dark early specimen of Meliscaeva auricollis. The early specimens can have much darker legs, as well as abdomen markings.

But this isn't an identification; just thinking aloud!

[JRsbugs]

Funny thing is I'm seeing bees a month earlier than usual this year.

You could be right about Meliscaeva auricollis Geoff, although the spots look too narrow that could be deceptive and it is a very variable species. It could explain the bleeding of the spots on T1 too.

[oxycera]

Melangyna lasiophthalma 'Springs' to mind.

[Jason Green]

Evening Brian,

The first doesn't show enough of what you need, unfortunately. Andrena male is, as Matt says, the best you can really ask for.

The first hoverfly is possibly Episyrphus balteatus? I'm seeing two pale longitudinal lines, obliquely cut-off posteriorly with a circular formation that sits furthest back on the thorax nearest the scutellum.

The last is probably torvus as Janet said. It tends to have two main spells, one in early Spring and then later in October-ish, with ribesii and vitripennis coming to the fore mid-year.

Take care,

Jason

[JRsbugs]

Definitely not Episyrphus balteatus!

Here's my offering of a possible Melangyna lasiophthalma which is now possible the same as M. compositarum if you check the link I put. I didn't get a reply so I've just bumped it up.

[Jason Green]

I agree with the similarity between Brian's hover and your suggestion of lasiopthalma. The issue I have is the two pale lines/half-circle on the thorax - they usually signify balteatus, and I'm not aware of these being present on lasiopthalma.