Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Melangyna? (10.04.09)

Posted by Juergen Peters on 16-04-2009 22:27
#1

Hello!

Many (*) hover flies here (northwest Germany) in the last days (sunny, 20-26 °C) at flowering sloe hedges and elsewhere. This one is already from April-10. Could it be a Melangyna sp.? Size about 8 mm.

(*):
- Cheilosia sp. (6-7 mm small, black)
- Cheilosia cf. orthotricha (12-14 mm)
- Episyrphus balteatus
- Eristalis interrupta
- Eristalis pertinax
- Helophilus pendulus
- Melanostoma scalare
- Melangyna sp. (?)
- Myatropa florea (unsure; at forest, could be a fast flying Brachypalpus)
- Platycheirus albimanus
- Xanthogramma citrofasciata

Posted by Juergen Peters on 16-04-2009 22:27
#2

Pic #2

Posted by Juergen Peters on 16-04-2009 22:28
#3

Pic #3

Posted by blowave on 16-04-2009 23:00
#4

Hi Juergen,

I got pics on the 3rd of one which looks like this, I think it's Parasyrphus punctulatus.

Janet :)

Posted by Juergen Peters on 17-04-2009 01:37
#5

Hello, Janet!

blowave wrote:
I got pics on the 3rd of one which looks like this, I think it's Parasyrphus punctulatus.


Interesting, thanks! I did not take Parasyrphus into account, because I never had found one this early. But the pics in the gallery do look very like it!

Posted by Andre on 17-04-2009 11:54
#6

It is an early species, starting in april and flying untill june.

Posted by Juergen Peters on 17-04-2009 17:15
#7

Hello, André!

Andre wrote:
It is an early species, starting in april and flying untill june.


Yes, I have searched my archives now and found, that my earliest finds were April-14, 2007, and April-17, 2008. So it was only a few days earlier this year. It a new "record", though... B)