Hoverflies are two-winged flies which as adults generally feed on the nectar or pollen of flowers. They prefer sunny and still conditions and have remarkable powers of flight including their renowned hovering close to foodplants or patrolling their territories in shafts of sunlight.
Many are extremely attractive, combining black and yellow or orange coloration. Some are well known as imitators of wasps and bees but most are overlooked. The smallest are tiny black flies of less than 5 mm in length whilst the largest compete for size with bumble bees.
None are able to bite or sting and the adults are useful pollinators whilst many larval forms predate aphid pests. Their larvae are extremely varied, some living in plant stems or in plant litter and others are aquatic. Only three species could be considered as harmful. These so-called 'bulb flies' as adults are completely harmless. However, the larvae live and feed in bulbs and corms.
Species recorded at Attenborough by Carr (1935), Hartley (1964), Benson (1986-1988) and B. Wetton (1987-2009) now number 122, making Attenborough Nature Reserve the best recorded site in Nottinghamshire. Britain as a whole has over 270 species.
A brief account of the genera found on the reserve including the individual species follows:
Genera and Species
Baccha
These are small, slender, long-waisted flies found hovering in low vegetation and preferring shade. They are frequently overlooked but can be found in wooded areas of the reserve, under scrub and in hedge bottoms.
Baccha elongata
Melanostoma
This genera consists of small thin-bodied flies, which are black with yellow markings, similar to many of the Platycheirus genus, but have cylindrical front legs identifiable with a 10x magnification hand lens. They are usually in low vegetation and on low growing flowers.
Melanostoma mellinum
Melanostoma scalare
Paragus
These tiny black flies can often be found along paths or on other bare areas.
Paragus haemorrhous (local)
Platycheirus
The flies of this genus are small, dark, thin-bodied with either yellowish or silver-grey markings. The males have modified front legs with flattened tibiae and expanded tarsi. They are low flying.
Platycheirus albimanus
Platycheirus ambiguus (local and scarce on Blackthorn in spring)
Platycheirus angustatus
Platycheirus clypeatus
Platycheirus fulviventris
(local, associated with glyceria)
Platycheirus manicatus
Platycheirus occultus (scarce)
Platycheirus peltatus
Platycheirus scambus
(local and scarce, not recorded over the last 10 years)
Platycheirus scutatus
Platycheirus tarsalis
(local but not uncommon in spring)
Pyrophaena (recently incorporated in Platycheirus)
Distinctive smallish elongated flies. One species found on the reserve has orange markings on the abdomen. The male when viewed through a hand lens has a 'thumb-like' projection on the front tarsi. The other species has white cup-shaped abdominal markings. Both species are associated with marshes and wet grassland.
Platycheirus (Pyrophaena) granditarsus
Platycheirus (Pyrophaena) rosarum
Xanthandrus
This is a nationally rare fly with yellow abdominal markings but with a black scutellum at the rear of the thorax. The two records at Attenborough are only the second and third for the county.
Xanthandrus comtus (nationally notable migrant)
Chrysotoxum
The flies of this genus are quite large with elongated, forward projecting antennae and very bright yellow abdominal markings. They are good wasp mimics and are usually seen in midsummer.
Chrysotoxum bicinctum (local)
Chrysotoxum festivum (local)
Chrysotoxum verralli (local)
Dasysyrphus
A woodland group, most common in spring. A black ground colour dominates yellow 'bars' or 'hooks' on the abdomen.
Dasysyrphus albostriatus
Dasysyrphus pinastri (local and scarce at Attenborough)
Dasysyrphus tricinctus
Dasysyrphus venustus
Didea
An attractive group of broad-bodied flies with deep yellow wedge-shaped markings and a loop in the wing veins.
Didea fasciata (first records in 2002)
Epistrophe
This genus comprises of one species (eligans) in spring and a second (grossulariae) in late summer. The former is a brassy coloured hoverer and the latter has parallel yellow bands on the abdomen and is often seen on umbels. The third species (nitidicollis) is scarce.
Epistrophe eligans
Epistrophe grossulariae
Epistrophe nitidicollis (local)
Episyrphus
This species has distinctive double black bands on a deep yellow, somewhat elongated abdomen. Once identified it is quite distinctive and is one of the most abundant species on the reserve in summer. Numbers are sometimes boosted by migrants from abroad.
Episyrphus balteatus
Leucozona
Distinguished by large white quadrate spots at the base of the abdomen. They are often associated with umbels.
Leucozona glaucia (local with records only in 1986-8 (Benson) and 2002 )
Leucozona laternaria
Leucozona lucorum
Melangyna
These thin bodied flies have whitish or yellowish oval or triangular spots on the abdomen and black legs.
Melangyna compositarum
Melangyna labiatarum
Melangyna lasiophthalma (local with few early spring records)
Melangyna triangulifera (nationally notable with four records)
Melangyna umbellatarum (local)
Meliscaeva
A narrow-bodied group of flies with elongate wings and variable deep yellow markings.
Meliscaeva auricollis
Meliscaeva cinctella
Metasyrphus (recently re-named Eupeodes)
These oval-bodied flies are similar to the abundant Syrphus group but are usually darker with bright yellow marks and are lower flying.
Eupeodes (Metasyrphus) corollae
Eupeodes (Metasyrphus) latifasciatus (local but regularly recorded)
Eupeodes (Metasyrphus) latilunulatus (nationally notable with one record in 1990)
Eupeodes (Metasyrphus) luniger
Parasyrphus
Early spring flies of which one species was first recorded in April 2002.
Parasyrphus punctulatus
Scaeva
This is a large fly with whitish hook-shaped marks on the abdomen. It is usually seen singly in late summer and is a migrant.
Scaeva pyrastri
Sphaerophoria
Elongate, smallish flies with yellow on the thorax as well as the abdomen. They are grassland species and the genus is poorly represented on the reserve.
Sphaerophoria menthastri (local with few records)
Sphaerophoria scripta
Syrphus
This is the genus thought of by the 'layman' as the typical hoverfly. They have yellow bars and 'moustache-shaped' abdominal markings. The species are difficult to separate.
Syrphus ribesii
Syrphus torvus
Syrphus vitripennis
Xanthogramma
Beautiful black and yellow wasp mimics which are associated with ants and found in open areas of short grass.
Xanthogramma pedissequum (scarce recent colonist)
Cheilosia
These are mostly small black flies, which are very difficult to identify. One species (illustrata) is an exception, being a small bumble bee mimic. This is a large group, which is not particularly well represented on the reserve. The larvae live in plants.
Cheilosia albitarsis
Cheilosia bergenstammi (local but regularly recorded)
Cheilosia grossa (local with few early spring records)
Cheilosia illustrata
Cheilosia impressa (scarce)
Cheilosia lasiopa (local)
Cheilosia latifrons (local)
Cheilosia pagana
Cheilosia proxima
Cheilosia ranunculi (first recorded in 2003)
Cheilosia scutellata (scarce)
Cheilosia variablis
Cheilosia vernalis
Rhingia
This genus includes the 'long nosed' or 'Heineken' fly which can reach the parts of flowers that other flies cannot reach. It has a dark thorax and orange abdomen and its larvae live in cow pats.
Rhingia campestris
Chrysogaster (some recently re-classified into the genus Melanogaster)
These small black flies have flat-topped abdomens and are difficult to identify without magnification.
Chrysogaster cemiteriorum (scarce)
Chrysogaster solstitialis (first recorded 2002 though common elsewhere)
Melanogaster (Chrysogaster) aerosa (rare and nationally notable, only recorded by Carr in 1915)
Melanogaster (Chrysogaster) hirtella
Lejogaster
Small metallic flies with concave faces.
Lejogaster metallina
Neoascia
These tiny elongate flies have narrow waists, bulbous abdomens and a concave face. They are low flying.
Neoascia genicuata (nationally notable but several records)
Neoascia interupta (nationally notable but regularly recorded)
Neoascia meticulosa (local but regularly recorded)
Neoascia podagrica
Neoascia tenur
Orthonevra and Riponnensia
Smallish metallic-coloured flies whose larvae live in organically rich mud by ponds.
Orthonevra nobilis (local and only recorded by Benson in 1986-8)
Orthonevra splendens (recently re-classified as Riponnensia splendens) (local)
Anasimyia
These dark, medium-sized flies have a striped thorax and yellow or grey abdominal markings. They are aquatic breeders.
Anasimyia contracta (local but several records)
Anasimyia lineata (local)
Anasimyia lunulata (nationally notable, only recorded by Hartley 1964)
Anasimyia transfuga (local but several records)
Eristalinus
These are black bodied flies and the species found at Attenborough has distinctive spotted green eyes. This is an aquatic breeding species.
Eristalinus sepulchralis (local but quite common at Attenborough)
Eristalis
These common flies are large enough to attract attention as they hover in front of an observer. They are dark with orange markings. The group are known as 'Drone Flies', imitating hive bees. Their larvae are 'rat-tailed maggots' found in muddy water with a long breathing tube at their tail end.
Eristalis abusivus (local with only two records in 1964 and 1988)
Eristalis arbustorum
Eristalis horticola (Scarce at Attenborough)
Eristalis intricarius
Eristalis nemorum
Eristalis pertinax
Eristalis tenax
Helophilus
These aquatic breeding flies have bright yellow abdominal markings and yellow and black striped thorax.
Helophilus hybridus (local but quite common at Attenborough)
Helophilus pendulus
Helophilus trivittatus (local with few records of this migrant)
Myathropa
A yellow and black wasp mimic related to the Eristalis group.
Myathropa florea
Parhelophilus
Another aquatic breeding fly having a striped thorax resembling Helophilus but more orange in colouration.
Parhelophilus frutetorum (local but regularly recorded)
Parhelophilus versicolor (local but common at Attenborough)
Eumerus
These small dark flies are also known as 'Lesser Bulb Flies'. Their larvae live in bulbs and corms of bluebells and garden plants.
Eumerus funeralis
Eumerus strigatus
Merodon
Known as the 'Large Bulb Fly'. It is a hairy bumble bee mimic with a wide range of distinct colour forms all of which have black legs.
Merodon equestris
Psilota
A small metallic blue-black fly classed as nationally vulnerable in the Red Data Book.
Psilota anthracina (recorded in 2004, the most northerly record in Britain)
Heringia
This is a tiny black fly with a flat face profile and whitish hairs. It is difficult to separate from Pipiza.
Heringia heringi (local and only recorded in 1989)
Heringia vitripennis (formerly called Neocnemodon vitripennis) (only recorded 2001)
Pipiza
This is a small group of flies with flat faces. Individual species are difficult to identify.
Pipiza austriaca (local)
Pipiza lugubris (rare)
Pipiza luteitarsis (local and only recorded by Carr)
Pipiza noctiluca (local but regularly recorded)
Pipizella
Similar to Pipiza but even smaller.
Pipizella viduata
Pipizella virens (nationally notable with few records)
Sericomyia
Large moorland and heathland flies which breed in boggy pools. One was surprisingly found in 2002 and another in 2009 feeding on ivy late in the year, evidence of dispersal to find food resources.
Sericomyia silentis
Volucella
These bumble bee mimics occur in mid-summer and bombylans has various colour forms to imitate different bumble bee species. Pellucens is a pied hoverfly. Their larvae live in the nests of bumble bees. Inanis and zonaria are ectoparasites on hornets and large wasps and Attenborough is their northern most site.
Volucella bombylans
Volucella inanis (first recorded in 2001)
Volucella pellucens
Volucella zonaria (first recorded in 2007)
Brachypalpoides
A magnificent red and black fly with an elongated body which is associated with old woodland.
Brachypalpoides lentus (rare with a single record in 2008)
Chalcosyrphus
This fly is associated with rotten wood. It has orange abdominal markings and care should be taken to separate it from Tropidia, which has hind femora with triangular projections.
Chalcosyrphus nemorum (local but several records)
Criorhina
These large hairy bumble bee mimics have a projecting lower face. They breed in dead wood and the adults visit hawthorn.
Criorhina berberina (local)
Criorhina floccosa (local, recorded only in 1988)
Criorhina ranunculi (nationally notable and rare)
Syritta
This is a small narrow fly with orange-spotted abdomen and swollen hind femora.
Syritta pipiens
Tropidia
This is a medium sized fly with an orange marked abdomen. The hind femora are arched with a triangular projection. They are associated with marshes and local in distribution but they are remarkably common on parts of the reserve around pond margins.
Identification References
Gilbert, Francis S, "Hoverflies" - Naturalists Handbook No 5 - Cambridge University Press/Richmond Publishing Co. - 1986 (Simple introduction with good illustrations but not comprehensive).
Stubbs, Alan E and Falk, Steven J, "British Hoverflies" - Entomological and Natural History Society - 2002 (comprehensive keys, text and illustrations)
Other References
"Attenborough Nature Reserve : Invertebrates" - NTNC - 1970
Carr, J W, "Invertebrate Fauna of Nottinghamshire" and "Supplement" - Bell 1916 and 1935
Wetton, B W, "Hoverflies of Attenborough" - Attenborough Bird Report: 1984 - 1989
Wetton, B W, "Hoverflies of Nottinghamshire" - Sorby Record No. 39, 2003
Wetton, B W, "Hoverflies of Attenborough" - In preparation for Attenborough Wildlife Report 2010
