Brachypalpoides lentus ?

[peterbolson]

I've not seen this large hoverfly before so I'd be grateful for confirmation.
I came across it in low vegetation at the edge of a wood.
Thanks
Peter

[Geoff F]

That is the one, Peter.

I found one last month in similar circumstances. And one last year in the same approximate area.

They are somewhat uncommon so the Hoverfly Recording Scheme will be glad of the details.

[peterbolson]

Thanks very much Geoff. I'll do that.

Peter

[JRsbugs]

So why haven't I found one yet?

I'm jealous..

Hoverfly Recording Scheme - View topic - Brachypalpoides lentus

Janet

[Geoff F]

Janet. Keep a look out in open areas of established woodland, or low down on hedges etc on the woodland edge. Cumbria is a really interesting location, although not unknown.

With just 2 sightings to my name, over 2 years, I'm not exactly an expert.

But I found that the deep red isn't that obvious unless it opens it's wings or curves the body. Any Xylota segnis which doesn't look quite right is worth a closer check. From a distance they could be mistaken for one of the dark Platycheirus or Cheilosia.

Looking for my second sighting, in the same area, I kept hopefully chasing red tailed ichneumons and sawflies.

Finally, a real lucky chance, I was photographing a Chrystotoxum elegans when I looked down near my feet and thought Wow!

And it posed for a few photos as well.

[JRsbugs]

Geoff, I have woodlands and hedges all around me so maybe one day I will see one! I check out any and everything I see if it stays around.

[Roger Morris]

All

B. lentus is fairly infrequent and does not inhabit any general wood. It is largely regarded as an old woodland indicator i.e. those with long continuity and the presence of underground decaying timber. It is associated primarily with oak or beech and is possibly most frequently seen investigating the bases of such trees.

My impression is that it has declined substantially in recent years - I see the odd one everey year or two, but since I left Surrey it has been decidedly scarcer. So that brings the second point - it is largely a southern species. There are relatively few post 2000 records and the trend analysis suggests a statistically significant decline in abundance over the past 25 years.

I'm afraid the maps on the recording scheme website don't work at the moment. We know about this and think we know why - the problem is that we have too many jobs to attend to. A new atlas will be published at the end of July and we are working on the final text at the moment so I can go to the printers in a couple of weeks time. Meanwhile, we are still working on the Wildguide. I'm afraid this is delayed and I doubt it will be off the press until October.

Meanwhile, there is also a new addition to the UK fauna - Syrphus admirandus which I added on Sunday. It is rather unlike other Syrphus and will be an interesting addition. We knew it might be around because we found an unlabelled specimen in a field station collection a couple of years ago. Now it is confirmed.

Regards

Roger

[Jason Green]

Evening all,

Fascinating, Roger. I have a few Syrphus that I suppose I should look at - are there any reliable images anywhere online, a description I could follow or specific character to check for?

Take care,

Jason

[JRsbugs]

I do have old woodlands around me, an old estate and there's lots of Oak trees so I should stand a chance of seeing B. lentus.

Jason, I found details and a pic of the new species..

*Syrphus admirandus* Goeldlin, 1996. F << CultureGrid

Distribution..

Syrphus admirandus Goeldlin de Tiefenau, 1996

[Jason Green]

Snap! I found that a few mins after asking. Thanks!