hoverfly ID help advice

[diggleken]

Hi,
Just trawling some old shots from summer 2010.
I think this is Xylota sylvarum, but stand to be corrected!
Sorry about the pic, it was a quick rush shot, but still sufficient detail I hope, including dark parts of hind leg to enable the ID.

If it is, Stubbs and Falk have it as a more southern species, so is this unusual this far north, here in the south pennines?
Cheers
Ken

[Dogghound]

Yes Xylota sylvarum

[Jason Green]

NBN shows records as far-north as Scotland (& Ireland), but I suppose these are more sporadic and locallised populations with more expected and highest densities occuring further south.

[poschiavanus]

The NBN map appears to be out-of-date compared with the one at the Hoverfly Recording Scheme.

Looking at the latter it looks as if this species was recorded in more-or-less every 10km square around Sheffield by Derek Whiteley (and, no doubt, others). I don't have his Sorby Record account, but Brian Wetton (2003, Sorby Record 39, p22) regards this species as "not uncommon, never numerous" in Nottinghamshire with records at 14 sites. Also this species was recorded at several Notts (VC56) sites prior to 1935 (Carr, 1916 & 1935). It is an Ancient Woodland indicator species.

[diggleken]

Thanks all for confirmation.
I love the phraseology ' not uncommon, never numerous' Posch, thanks for that info - I'll have a root in NBN and submit the record - it was indeed in , not ancient, but quite old mixed deciduous.
Cheers
Ken