David
Element
Wildlife
Photography
and Digital
Video Images
_______________________ Flies 3 - Hoverflies 3

Chrysotoxum
bicinctum
Sphaerophoria scripta
Helophilus
pendulus

Helophilus
trivittatus

Myathropa florea

Parhelophilus
sp.

Sericomyia
silentis

Volucella
bombylans (form
bombylans)

Volucella
pellucens

Xylota
segnis

Xylota
sylvarum
- Most of the above
hoverflies (apart from the Parhelophilus sp.)
may be identified to species level by examining the
markings closely. The bumblebee mimic
Volucella bombylans exists in several
different recognisable forms, each superficially
resembling a different species of bee. This subterfuge is
certainly convincing to the human eye, but close
examination will reveal that there is only a single pair
of wings, a feature typical of almost all fly species
(bees have two pairs). In hoverflies a false wing margin
adds authenticity to this disguise, giving the illusion
of a second set of wings. The hindwings are actually
reduced to small club-shaped counterbalances termed
"halteres" and the absence of true hindwings is
clearly no handicap when it comes to flight. Although the
photographs shown are a fairly random selection, the
flies are illustrated in order of classification when
compared with the species list in Stubbs and Falk's
excellent reference work 'British Hoverflies'.
- Another scanned image of Myathropa
florea may be seen on Flies 17.
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