• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Search results

thxpress_search_the_forum Search Opus
  1. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    Not a hover, a tachinid fly I think. Don't know the species, sorry.
  2. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    The first is not a hoverfly, it's a Bee Fly (Bombyliidae), Bombylius major. The second is a female Eristalis sp.
  3. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    I think this is a conopid fly (conopidae) rather than a hoverfly. Probably in the genus Conops.
  4. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    Normal intra-specific variation.
  5. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    1. Eristalis sp. 2/3. Scaevia pyrastri 4/5. Episyrphus balteatus
  6. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    Thanks Ficedula. I was wavering between Epistrophe and Eupeodes but it didn't seem to fit either perfectly. What points you to the former? Unfortunately the pic is not terribly good so I doubt I'll get any further.
  7. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    Could anyone help with this one please. This is unfortunately the only pic.
  8. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    I think it's Leucozona glaucia.
  9. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    Episyrphus balteatus. Very distinctive.
  10. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    I'm doing this without the book in front of me so there may be errors. Get them checked. 1. Eupeodes corollae (lunules appear to extend onto the sides of the tergites) 2. Scaevia pyrastri 3. Eupeodes luniger (lunules are comma like and side of tergites are black) 4. ? 5. Eristalis sp. A shot...
  11. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    My garden has been invaded by these in the past few days; far out-numbering E. corollae. The main attractant as ever is the Hebe 'Great Orme'. This has had well in excess of 100 hovers of at least 13 species on it. If I ever get time (unlikely at the moment) I'll post some photos. Best so far...
  12. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    This is the best book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Hoverflies-Illustrated-Identification-Guide/dp/1899935053
  13. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    Anasimyia lineata Had a new one for me the other day. Anasimyia lineata is fairly common hoverfly found around still or slow-flowing water; I found this one along the river Nene. It is fairly small with longitudinal thoracic stripes and a distinctive long, yellow 'nose'.
  14. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    This is it: http://www.nhbs.com/british_hoverflies_tefno_5273.html ...for the UK
  15. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    Merodon equestris for the first (and pos second). Other two are Eristalis spp. by the look of it.
  16. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    Xanthogramma pedissequum (sp.) is not that uncommon. Google it for pictures and you'll see this isn't one though. I think (although by no means certain) that it's a Syrphus species but it would take a much better image and different angles to get to a species id.
  17. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    Definitely pendulus - the tibia is at least half yellow, usually much less on hybridus.
  18. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    Not trivittaus - note the black 'feet' on middle leg an the black stripe down the 'face'. Compare with my previous post. I expect this is pendulus but to be sure it's not hybridus I'd like to see the hind leg.
  19. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    Helophilus trittivatus This is a large and very bright hoverfly. Note the yellow vertical face stripe (black in other Helophilus spp.) and the all yellow 'toes' on the middle leg.
  20. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    This is the best book for the UK: http://www.nhbs.com/british_hoverflies_tefno_5273.html There is another good tome covering NW Europe: http://www.nhbs.com/hoverflies_of_northwest_europe_tefno_138679.html I have both but rarely need anything other than the first. This forum is also useful...
  21. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    Xylota segnis Here's another view of Xylota segnis showing the distinct black spines on the underside of the hind femur.
  22. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    Leucozona glaucia I don't think this one has featured on here yet. Very distinctive with the blueish base to the abdomen, very narrow bands and yellow scutellum. Quite a few evident on umbellifers along Lathkill Dale in Derbyshire along with plenty of other hovers at the weekend. Had X...
  23. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    This has been slow to dawn but of course these aren't Eupeodes at all. They're Syrphus spp.. Need much better photo including the hind legs to come to an ID.
  24. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    Not scary. Link fixed. Check it and you'll see the yellow bands are broken in the middle. You can see it's a female because there's a gap between the eyes. In males they meet along the top of the head like your Eristalis.
  25. Brian Stone

    The Hoverfly Thread

    Andrew. I don't think 1 & 3 can be corollae. Might be wrong here but I think both are females and these should have the yellow divided on tergites 3&4, e.g. http://www.syrphidae.de/schwebfliege/Eupeodes%20corollae%20-%20Gemeine%20Feldschwebfliege%20w03%20hsk.html. Not sure what they are though...
Back
Top