Rui Andrade wrote:
Helophilus sp.

blowave wrote:
Hi Peter,

It's highly unlikely to be H. affinis, check the map and what is said about it here:

http://www.hoverf...c.php?t=90

The most common one is H. pendulus, the amount of yellow on the legs does suggest that. It looks like a male.

Apart from another extremely unlikely one, Helophilus groenlandicus, we only have H. pendulus, trivittatus and hybridus of which the latter two don't fit yours.

Janet

PeterD wrote:


Thanks for your reply and info Janet.

I have looked up the Hoverfly recording data you linked to. The map shows only one siting in the Shetlands (not surprising when the movement of this species is from the Denmark area - south).Based on this info, I too think it unlikely to be H. affinis. I then looked up H. pendulus on the following site http://cucaera.co...s+pendulus and compared images. There are distinct differences in the abdomen tail between my image and those on the site. The third tergite yellow markings are not straight (they are inclined upwards). The tail end of the abdomen lacks the additional black stripes shown on H. pendulus. The thickness of the horizontal lines is thinner on my image. In summary, unlikely or not, bears more in common with H. affinus. I do hope I am not making a fool of myself but my starting point was that I wanted to believe it was H. pendulus.

blowave wrote:


The keys use different criteria, and I think the angle of your fly is giving you the impression of an upward incline but looking at my pics they all look to have an upward incline and look just like yours. They do vary a little in the markings, but yours looks fairly typical for a male H. pendulus to me.

If searching for look-alike images, the best way to do that is to do a site search here which will more likely give confirmed images of H. affinis which is really the most appropriate image to be looking for.

http://www.dipter...p;chars=50

blowave wrote:
Peter, don't worry about making a fool of yourself. It's all part of the learning process, and this is probably a good place to find out what to look for as there's plenty of diptera specialists to help.

I started much the same as you have, with little knowledge and floundering to find my way. Slowly but surely you learn where to look, and if possible to try to use keys.

Another good way to hone your eye is to keep looking in the different families in the gallery here.

Keep plodding on, you will get better in a few years time! From one who knows about that.

Jason G wrote:
I agree it's good to look at affinis with some Helophilus individuals - but if it is possible, a specimen would be needed to back it up I'd think. I'm sure Roger would be happy to look at one - try the Hoverfly Recording Scheme forum - you're a member there, I believe,

Stephane Lebrun wrote:
This is a male H. pendulus, no doubt. In H. affinis, the hind margin of tergites is black.