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Hello!

Three days ago I watched the first Eristalis here but wasn't able to take a picture, today I managed it :-) - although from quite a distance.



On the snowdrops at the wood's edge were feeding some honey bees and also several Episyrphus balteatus:



I also found a third Syrphid species, but it flew off just when I wanted to actuate the trigger of my camera :-(. It was black with comma shaped markings on its abdomen. I think it must have been Melangyna quadrimaculata.

For the butterfly friends: also for the first time in 2006 the Small Tortoiseshells (Aglais urticae) were flying (26 (!) individuals on less than 300 m meadow):
http://insektenin...icae_1.jpg