Hoverfly and fingers crossed

[billtils]

I think/hope I have got a correct ID this time:





Is it Parasyrphus punctulatus Geoff?

[Geoff F]

I would say male Eupeodes luniger. The abdomen spots of Parasyrphus tend to narrow as they approach the abdomen edge, as with Syrphus and the tergite 2 spots sweep forwards at the outer edge so they are sometimes described as golf club shaped.

These spots are distinctly square edged on the outside. The hind leg seems slightly darkened but I suspect this is just the light angle.

In the keys, Eupeodes are separated from Syrphus and Parasyrphus by their all black hairs on tergites 3 to 5 while Syrphus have them partly pale. But that doesn't really help from this angle and it can be a tricky point at the best of times.

Eupeodes males can sometimes be problematic to identify from other Eupeodes species but this one has typical luniger spots so there is little difficulty. When the spots are less well marked it comes down to the angle between the eyes at the top of the head; which can be so difficult to make a definite choice.

[John 2]

Whatever it is, that's a cracking image Bill.

[billtils]

Thanks Geoff. I did wonder about it being Eupeodes sp but was swayed to Parasyrphus by the pattern of the banding on the abdomen and the longitudinal bands on the thorax, which was a good fit for the exemplar image in the key I was using.

[Shadowman]

Nicely captured.

[Dave A]

Outstanding image!

Dave

[marlunn]

Nice image Bill, this Facebook site ( if you use facebook) is good they are very helpful and two of them are the authors of the Wild Guide to British Hoverflies https://www.facebook.com/groups/609272232450940/ - any good photos like this they can key out for you no probs and they are quick - it also helps to record them on the site as Roger Morris collates the info and manges its submission to the national records.

[billtils]

Nice image Bill, this Facebook site ( if you use facebook)

Thanks Mark. I'm very much in (what seems like) the half of the planet that avoid Facebook so won't follow up, but I do appreciate your response.

[marlunn]

Bill, must admit I tend to feel the same in the majority of cases - but these pages and similar for the Fungi / Bees etc are useful resources for getting IDs and a feel for the overall state of the UK countryside - they are not biased or fund hunting so its down to who sees what where with a view to educating and enjoying and not a lot else.

[Cantab]

Thanks Mark. I'm very much in (what seems like) the half of the planet that avoid Facebook so won't follow up, but I do appreciate your response.

I'm in the same half of the planet. However, I do have a fake account in a wrong name, wrong birthdate, wrong university ... (don't tell Facebook) so that I could access a group interest Facebook page such as the one Mark refers to. But I don't remember my password, which shows how often I've logged onto Facebook.

[Mike Buckley]

Wonderful image, Bill, for all the reasons already given.

However, I do have a fake account in a wrong name, wrong birthdate, wrong university ...

I had one also for a few years that I used about once a year for a specific purpose until I discovered recently that doing so goes against Facebook's terms of service. So, I deleted the account.

[IzzieK]

Wow! This is a beauty, Bill... (now I hope I got your name right? ) Really, seriously...I never really find a bug pretty but this one is because of the sharpness and the background it was hanging on to. Everything is perfect especially the exposure...

[billtils]

I would say male Eupeodes luniger. eg seems slightly darkened but I suspect this is just the light angle.

Geoff, I looked at some other E. luniger images and also some other images in the set I took of this fly, including one looking directly down on it. I didn't like it as much as an image, but it is much better for identification purposes and confirms your conclusion - E. luniger it is. Rather than take up space in this thread, I uploaded an unedited (other than crop) version of the shot to Dropbox if you would like to check.

Thanks yet again for your assistance - I really thought I had it right this time .

[Wavelength]

Just superb!!!

[Geoff F]

Thanks Mark. I'm very much in (what seems like) the half of the planet that avoid Facebook so won't follow up, but I do appreciate your response.

Me as well.

The Hoverfly Recording Scheme still have a website here

http://www.hoverfly.org.uk/

But after getting a lot of fake postings which were just questionable quality blatant advertising they seem to have mostly moved to Facebook for safety!

I send all my records directly to Roger Morris.

For anybody who wants to get serious about hoverflies the ultimate reference work is British Hoverflies by Stubbs & Falk. A smaller alternative which is suitable for most people is Britain's Hoverflies by Ball & Morris. It has less overall information but good real photographs. I use both.

[bnnrcn]

Super image Bill

[rpcrowe]

Lovely shot!