Hoverfly for i.d.

[2dogs2000]

This was the largest hoverfly I have seen. At first I thought it was a wasp.
Can someone i.d. it for me please?

[barquar]

it is a common hover fly Helophiius Pendulus Body length 10mm.
Barquar

[JRsbugs]

It's not the common Helophilus pendulus, I'll check it out and get back to you. It is Helophilus, and it doesn't look like H. hybridus.

Janet

[JRsbugs]

It could be H. trivittatus, but there is a possibility of H. affinis. The front tarsi of males (I think this is a male) of affinis should be pale but the photo isn't showing it as such. It seems to me that the second lot of spots are too far apart for trivittatus, I have only seen females and the drawing of male spots shows them closer together.

One for Roger maybe.

Janet

[JRsbugs]

I've been looking for reliable pics of H. affinis male, found one on diptera.info which is listed as a female but I feel sure this is a male. The eye margins at the top of the head are parallel in males and the tail end is 'rounded'.

H. affinis has a dark facial stripe but these are often only below the antennae, that can't be seen. The hind tibia certainly fits affinis.

Diptera.info - Photo Albums: Helophilus affinis (female) (2)

[Anomalous]

Hi

Helophilus trivittatus

affinis is an extreme rarity, known (just) only from Scotland, acc. Stubbs and Falk. It is also more like pendulus in shape and markings, certainly compared to this specimen.

This looks like a classic Helophilus trivittatus, with an elongate body, large, lemon-yellowy spots, dark rear margin to tergites and tergite 4 with a clear 'w' formed by the grey markings.

It is a large, very striking species, which you usually find just as single specimens. I agree it is a male.

Ian

[JRsbugs]

Originally Posted by Anomalous

Hi

Helophilus trivittatus

affinis is an extreme rarity, known (just) only from Scotland, acc. Stubbs and Falk. It is also more like pendulus in shape and markings, certainly compared to this specimen.

This looks like a classic Helophilus trivittatus, with an elongate body, large, lemon-yellowy spots, dark rear margin to tergites and tergite 4 with a clear 'w' formed by the grey markings.

It is a large, very striking species, which you usually find just as single specimens. I agree it is a male.

Ian

Hi Ian,

Personally I would prefer to see the face. There are syrphids here which haven't even been officially recorded yet, although there are a few accounts. One such syrphid is a Cheilosia I had this spring and identified by Martin Speight as 99% certain C. uviformis.

Diptera.info - Discussion Forum: Cheilosia latifrons? > probable uviformis male

So I am wary of assigning species to a certain location just because it's mentioned in a book, books become outdated, unless you have other evidence that H. affinis is only in Scotland? It doesn't really say that on the HRS..

Hoverfly Recording Scheme - View topic - Helophilus affinis

There isn't a drawing of the abdomen of H. affinis in Mark van Veen keys, but it is a big species much the same size as trivittatus at 14-16mm. The photo I linked to on diptera.info of H. affinis is not so much different to the fly in question although it's listed as a female, it is a male.

Diptera.info - Photo Albums: Helophilus affinis (female) (2)

One thing which is not mentioned in the keys is leg 3 femora, I'm noticing in most cases that H. trivittatus has a small amount of yellow near the apex, as mentioned in the keys on this French site which is quite reliable.. (you will have to click on the Diptera link at the left to find the Helophilus keys)

Google Translate

I'm not seeing any yellow on the apex of leg 3 on the fly in question.

The keys in van Veen do mention only that the basal third to half of tibia 3 is yellow, nothing about the femur.

[Matt Smith]

Originally Posted by Anomalous

Hi

Helophilus trivittatus

affinis is an extreme rarity, known (just) only from Scotland, acc. Stubbs and Falk. It is also more like pendulus in shape and markings, certainly compared to this specimen.

This looks like a classic Helophilus trivittatus, with an elongate body, large, lemon-yellowy spots, dark rear margin to tergites and tergite 4 with a clear 'w' formed by the grey markings.

It is a large, very striking species, which you usually find just as single specimens. I agree it is a male.

Ian

Agreed - this one is H.trivittatus - a very distinct hoverfly once you become familiar with its shape and colour.

[Jason Green]

Afternoon Tups,

Nice-looking trivittatus there! Don't forget Roger will want the info on him.

Take care,

Jason

[2dogs2000]

Thank you all.