Two-band meadow hover fly

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Two-band meadow hover fly
Two-band meadow hover fly (Epistrophe eligans), female, dorsal view

Two-band meadow hover fly ( Epistrophe eligans ), female, dorsal view

Systematics
Order : Fly (Diptera)
Subordination : Flies (Brachycera)
Partial order : Lid slip (Cyclorrhapha)
Family : Hoverflies (Syrphidae)
Genre : Epistrophe
Type : Two-band meadow hover fly
Scientific name
Epistrophe eligans
( Harris , 1780)
Male, dorsal view
Female, side view
Larva, dorsal view
Larva, ventral view

The two-band meadow hover fly ( Epistrophe eligans ) is a fly from the family of hover flies (Syrphidae).

features

The flies have a body length of 10–12 mm. They can be recognized by their abdominal color, which consists of a yellow interrupted band on the second segment and a continuous band on the third segment. In the males, in contrast to the females, the eyes touch. The males usually have less yellowing of the abdomen. The eyes of the two-band meadow hover fly are hairless. The mesonotum is bronze-colored with a metallic sheen. The label is hairy yellow. The legs are yellow, the posterior tarsi dark brown.

The flattened larvae reach a length of about 11 mm. They are colored light green or light brown and covered with dark pigments. A light vertical stripe runs in the middle across the top.

distribution

The species is widespread in Europe. In the east they occur as far as Asia Minor and the Caucasus .

Way of life

The flight time of the adult flies lasts from March to September. They are most commonly seen in May. The species prefers sunny forest edges, hedges and gardens as a habitat. The flies suck the nectar and eat the pollen of various flowering plants, including round-leaved mint ( Mentha suaveolens ), yellow-green lady's mantle ( Alchemilla xanthochlora ), meadow chervil ( Anthriscus sylvestris ), blackthorn ( Prunus spinosa ) and hawthorn ( Crataegus ). The females mostly lay their eggs near colonies of aphids . The hatched larvae feed on the aphids. In the third larval stage, which they reach after a short time, they go into a diapause (resting phase in which the larva usually does not eat) which lasts until spring of the following year. Only then pupate the larva.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Epistrophe eligans . www.commanster.eu. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  2. ↑ Epistrophe eligans in Fauna Europaea. Retrieved August 8, 2018
  3. ↑ a b Epistrophe eligans . www.naturespot.org.uk. Retrieved August 8, 2018.

Web links

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