Hoverfly ID please

Adam Cheeseman · #1 (**permalink**) 23-05-2011, 10:46 AM

Hi Folks,

Any idea what this is please.

Cheers,

Adam

JRsbugs · #2 (**permalink**) 23-05-2011, 11:29 AM

Hi Adam,

It's Myathropa florea female.

Janet

Geoff F · #3 (**permalink**) 23-05-2011, 06:42 PM

Is it just me or are these far more plentiful this year?

Looking through my 2010 records I see that my first sighting was 02/06/10 then nothing until September.

JRsbugs · #4 (**permalink**) 23-05-2011, 07:02 PM

I can't say for sure Geoff, I had them earlier this year and I saw a mating pair but they had just taken off when I saw them. The colour and size was a bit obvious.

I saw the male later the same day on 17th April, he was big and bright. Last year it was 9th June when I first saw a male and a female on 15th so it's probably luck. We did have a good hot spell this year but that wouldn't surely have brought them out that much earlier. I see more later in the year.

aeshna5 · #5 (**permalink**) 23-05-2011, 07:05 PM

I've seen quite a few Myathropa this year, my first back in mid April.

Geoff F · #6 (**permalink**) 23-05-2011, 08:33 PM

Yes I normally regard it as a late summer/autumn fly.

But it has been a strange year so far. I am still struggling to find Syrphus and Platycheirus albimanus which are normally common from early spring onwards.