More hoverflies

[valdf]

3 more for ID please.

1

2 I believe this is Syritta pipiens:

3 Syrphus sp.?

Thanks,
Val

[aeshna5]

I'm no expert on these, but I'd go for:

1 Eristalis tenax
2 Agree, Syritta pipiens
3 Eupeodes corollae

[JRsbugs]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

I'm no expert on these, but I'd go for:

1 Eristalis tenax
2 Agree, Syritta pipiens
3 Eupeodes corollae

Agree except for #3, spots don't reach the sides so it's E. luniger.

Janet

[valdf]

Thank you both. At least I got one right - but that was rather easy!

Janet, I would never have guessed that this first insect was the same as the Eristalis tenax you identified for me yesterday. To me, this looks nothing like this


and this looks nothing like this

I think I'm looking too much for superficial similarities like colour - which, I realise, can easily change from one camera shot to another. Maybe I just need to see a lot more of them before I can start recognising the common features.

Thanks for your help,
Val

[JRsbugs]

Features can vary on Eristalis too, according to age or just variability on abdomen pattern. That's why keys are used. E. tenax is the only one which has all dark hind legs which are inflated, and they have black front feet but so do others, then we have to look at other features if the hind leg can't be seen.

[Geoff F]

Another starting point tip, Val, is that E. tenax has a broad dark face stripe. But, like Janet said, so do some other Eristalis. So it is really a case of putting together several items until you 'tick enough boxes'.

Number 3 does have rather deep spots for a typical E. luniger so my first thought was E. corollae or E. latifasciatus, like you. But as Janet said here, the slight gap between the outer end of the spots and the abdomen edge is important.

And the dark tarsus on the front and middle legs helps to rule out E. latifasciatus.

These are tricky species and sometimes, like this case, you can't rely on first appearances. Somethings like the depth of spots and even whether they are spots or bars which narrowly join in the middle can all be variable.