DOCSLIB.ORG

Hoverflies Family: Syrphidae

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Hoverflies Family: Syrphidae Birmingham & Black Country SPECIES ATLAS SERIES Hoverflies Family: Syrphidae Andy Slater Produced by EcoRecord Introduction Hoverflies are members of the Syrphidae family in the very large insect order Diptera ('true flies'). There are around 283 species of hoverfly found in the British Isles, and 176 of these have been recorded in Birmingham and the Black Country. This atlas contains tetrad maps of all of the species recorded in our area based on records held on the EcoRecord database. The records cover the period up to the end of 2019. Myathropa florea Cover image: Chrysotoxum festivum All illustrations and photos by Andy Slater All maps contain Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright and database right 2020 Hoverflies Hoverflies are amongst the most colourful and charismatic insects that you might spot in your garden. They truly can be considered the gardener’s fiend as not only are they important pollinators but the larva of many species also help to control aphids! Great places to spot hoverflies are in flowery meadows on flowers such as knapweed, buttercup, hogweed or yarrow or in gardens on plants such as Canadian goldenrod, hebe or buddleia. Quite a few species are instantly recognisable while the appearance of some other species might make you doubt that it is even a hoverfly… Mimicry Many hoverfly species are excellent mimics of bees and wasps, imitating not only their colouring, but also often their shape and behaviour. Sometimes they do this to fool the bees and wasps so they can enter their nests to lay their eggs. Most species however are probably trying to fool potential predators into thinking that they are a hazardous species with a sting or foul taste, even though they are in fact harmless and perfectly edible. Some species are very good at this mimicry - it’s surprising how many articles about honeybees are illustrated by a photo of a Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)! The easiest way to tell the difference between a bee and a hoverfly is to look at the eyes and antennae - hoverflies have large roundish eyes and short antennae, while bees tend to have smaller oval-shaped eyes and long antennae. Left – Honey Bee (Apis mellifera), Right – Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax) Lifecycle Adult hoverflies can be seen on sunny days from April to October, however each creature will actually spend most of its life in its maggot-like larval stage. The larva of around 40% of hoverfly species are aphid predators, while others live in wasp or ant nests where they are scavengers, feeding on the remains of dead workers, larvae, dropped food and other smaller insects. The larva of other species may live in rot-holes in trees, under bark, in ponds or in rotting vegetation. Because hoverflies have such a diverse range of lifestyles this makes them a good indicator of the health of our environment. Hoverfly Recording in Birmingham and the Black Country Number of Records Species distribution maps are often heavily influenced by the different levels of recording across an area. we've produced a map below to show the number of records in each tetrad (2km square): Top 5 site (no. records): 1. Sandwell Valley - 1393 2. Sutton Park - 1198 3. The Centre of the Earth - 340 4. Rea Valley - 294 5. Park Hall Nature Reserve - 191 Perhaps, unsurprisingly, the level of recording influences the number of species found in each tetrad: Top 5 site (no. species): 1. Sandwell Valley - 151 2. Sutton Park - 142 3. Vincent Drive - 57 4. Rea Valley - 56 5. Park Hall Nature Reserve - 53 At-a-Glance Species Guide Here is a visual guide to some of the commoner hoverfly species you might see: Baccha elongata Chrysotoxum bicinctum Cheilosia illustrata Dasysyrphus albostriatus Chrysotoxum festivum Dasysyrphus tricinctus Epistrophe eligans Epistrophe grossulariae dark form Episyrphus balteatus Eristalis tenax Eristalis arbustorm Eristalis pertinax ♂ Eristalis intricarius Melanostoma scalare ♀ Eupeodes luniger ♀ Eupeodes corollae ♀ Merodon equestris Helophilus pendulus Sphaerophoria sp. ♀ Myathropa florea Sphaerophoria scripta ♂ Platycheirus albimanus ♀ Syritta pipiens Syrphus ribesii ♀ Syrphus torvus ♂ Xanthogramma pedissequum Xylota segnis Volucella bombylans Volucella zonaria Volucella inanis Volucella pellucens Scaeva pyrastri Chrysotoxum verallii Leucozona lucorum Rare and Notable Hoverfly Species Recorded in Birmingham and the Black Country Below is a summary of rare and notable hoverfly species recorded in Birmingham and the Black Country Species Name Conservation Status Habitat B&BC Records Brachyopa pilosa NS Associated with Aspen and other Recorded at two sites in B&BC - Priory Woods poplars where adults can be found and Park Farm, Sandwell Valley and Cocks hovering near sap runs. Moors Wood NR, Yardley Wood. Most recent record: 2015 Callicera aurata NS An elusive but magnificent species Recorded at five sites in B&BC - including three which is usually found by accident. private gardens - along with Billesley Lane Probably associated with older trees, it Allotments and Bescot Triangle. Most recent may well be discovered in urban record: 2017 settings where sufficient mature deciduous trees are allowed to persist in gardens and at street margins. Cheilosia barbata NS Species with a southern distribution Recorded at five sites in B&BC - Mill Lane LNR and thought to be associated with and Walsall Power Station in Walsall; QE calcareous habitats such as calcareous Hospital and Sutton Park, Birmingham and grassland or the rides of calcareous Sandwell Valley. Most recent record: 2007 woodlands. Cheilosia velutina NS Associated with chalk grasslands and Recorded only at Sandwell Valley - at locations waste ground and usually found including Coaltip Mound and the woodlands visiting umbellifers. around Ice House Lake. Most recent record: 1992. Didea intermedia NS Associated with heathland or Recorded at only one site in B&BC - Sutton coniferous plantations. Park. Most recent record: pre 1910. Species may now be extinct in B&BC. Eupeodes nielseni NS Associated with the edges of pine Recorded at only one site in B&BC - Wrens forests, originally in the Scottish Nest NNR. Most recent record: 1990. Highlands but records suggest that the species has now spread southwards into England. Eupeodes nitens NS Associated with ancient woodlands Recorded at two sites in B&BC - Sutton Park where they visit flowers including (pre 1910) and Wrens Nest NNR. Most recent umbellifers and yellow composites. record: 1990. Species Name Conservation Status Habitat B&BC Records Ferdinandea ruficornis NS Associated with old trees trees, Recorded at one site in B&BC - Sots Hole, particularly those infested by Goat Sandwell Valley. Most recent record: 1994. Moth (Cossus cossus) where an abundant supply of sap is available. Heringia pubescens NS Associated with woodland rides, Recorded at one site in B&BC - Park Farm particularly where coniferisation has Wood, Sandwell Valley. Most recent record: occurred. Thay visit Dog's Mercury 2015. flowers. Mallota cimbiciformis NS Associated with rot holes in large Recorded at one site in B&BC - Priory Pool, mature trees, and may be seen visiting Sandwell Valley. Most recent record: 1978. flowers including Bramble. Melangyna barbifrons NS, NT Associated with old deciduous Recorded at two sites in B&BC - Sutton Park woodland and may be seen visiting (pre 1910) and Wrens Nest NNR. Most recent sallow blossom. record: 1990. Meligramma guttatum NS Associated with woodland and may be Recorded at two sites in B&BC - including seen visiting umbellifer flowers. several locations in Sandwell Valley including Priory Woods and Sots Hole. This species has also been recorded at Sutton Park (pre 1910). Most recent record: 1984. Neoascia interrupta NS Associated with swamp containing Recorded at only one site in B&BC - Park Hall containing Bulrush and Fool's Water- Nature Reserve, Birmingham. Most recent cress. record: 2008 Pipiza lugubris NS Unknown - widely distributed Recorded at only one site in B&BC - Sutton Park, Birmingham. Most recent record: pre 1910. Species may now be extinct in B&BC. Platycheirus immarginatus NS Associated with coastal habitat Recorded at only one site in B&BC - Clayhanger including saltmarsh SSSI. Most recent record:1987. Platycheirus perpallidus NS Associated with fen and the margins of Recorded at two sites in B&BC - Sandwell pools where sedges are abundant. Valley and Sutton Park. Most recent record: 2017 Platycheirus sticticus NS Associated with woodland edges, Recorded at only one site in B&BC - Wrens hedgerows and scrub. Nest NNR. Most recent record: 1990. Triglyphus primus NS Associated with Mugwort-rich Recorded at two sites in B&BC - Sandwell habitats, especially post-industrial Valley (at several locations) and Great Bridge land. Basins. Most recent record: 1997 Species Name Conservation Status Habitat B&BC Records Xylota abiens NS Associated with wet woodland. Recorded at only one site in B&BC - Sutton Park, Birmingham. Most recent record: pre 1910. Species may now be extinct in B&BC. Xylota tarda NS Associated with mature Aspen trees Recorded at two sites in B&BC - Park Farm growing in ancient woodland. Wood, Sandwell Valley and Wrens Nest NNR. Most recent record: 2014 NS = Nationally Scarce - a native species recorded from between 16-100 hectads (10km squares) of the OS national grid in Great Britain. NT = Near threatened in Great Britain The Species Accounts Scientific Name ◀ UK Status - frequency BM Common Name SF ◀ B&BC Rarity ◀ Conservation status P Tetrad map: ○ before 1980 ● 1980 - 2000 ● 2000 - 2019 Habitat information P BM Ball, S and Morris, R (2015) Britain's Hoverflies: A field guide. Princeton University Press SF Falk, S (2020) Steven Falk's Flickr Site [WWW] https://www.flickr.com/photos/63075200@N07/collections/ P Webb, J., Heaver, D., Lott, D., Dean, H.J., van Breda, J., Curson, J., Harvey, M.C., Gurney, M., Roy, D.B., van Breda, A., Drake, M., Alexander, K.N.A. and Foster, G. (2018). Pantheon - database version 3.7.6 Notes Past records of a presence of a species do not guarantee continued occurrence.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Diptera) of North-Eastern North America
    Biodiversity Data Journal 7: e36673 doi: 10.3897/BDJ.7.e36673 Taxonomic Paper New Syrphidae (Diptera) of North-eastern North America Jeffrey H. Skevington‡,§, Andrew D. Young|, Michelle M. Locke‡, Kevin M. Moran‡,§ ‡ AAFC, Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes, Ottawa, Canada § Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada | California Department of Food and Agriculture, Sacramento, United States of America Corresponding author: Jeffrey H. Skevington ([email protected]) Academic editor: Torsten Dikow Received: 31 May 2019 | Accepted: 09 Aug 2019 | Published: 03 Sep 2019 Citation: Skevington JH, Young AD, Locke MM, Moran KM (2019) New Syrphidae (Diptera) of North-eastern North America. Biodiversity Data Journal 7: e36673. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.7.e36673 ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:823430AD-B648-414F-A8B2-4F1E5F1A086A Abstract Background This paper describes 11 of 18 new species recognised in the recent book, "Field Guide to the Flower Flies of Northeastern North America". Four species are omitted as they need to be described in the context of a revision (three Cheilosia and a Palpada species) and three other species (one Neoascia and two Xylota) will be described by F. Christian Thompson in a planned publication. Six of the new species have been recognised for decades and were treated by J. Richard Vockeroth in unpublished notes or by Thompson in his unpublished but widely distributed "A conspectus of the flower flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) of the Nearctic Region". Five of the 11 species were discovered during the preparation of the Field Guide. Eight of the 11 have DNA barcodes available that support the morphology. New information New species treated in this paper include: Anasimyia diffusa Locke, Skevington and Vockeroth (Smooth-legged Swamp Fly), Anasimyia matutina Locke, Skevington and This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the CC0 Public Domain Dedication.
    [Show full text]
  • Dipterists Digest
    Dipterists Digest 2019 Vol. 26 No. 1 Cover illustration: Eliozeta pellucens (Fallén, 1820), male (Tachinidae) . PORTUGAL: Póvoa Dão, Silgueiros, Viseu, N 40º 32' 59.81" / W 7º 56' 39.00", 10 June 2011, leg. Jorge Almeida (photo by Chris Raper). The first British record of this species is reported in the article by Ivan Perry (pp. 61-62). Dipterists Digest Vol. 26 No. 1 Second Series 2019 th Published 28 June 2019 Published by ISSN 0953-7260 Dipterists Digest Editor Peter J. Chandler, 606B Berryfield Lane, Melksham, Wilts SN12 6EL (E-mail: [email protected]) Editorial Panel Graham Rotheray Keith Snow Alan Stubbs Derek Whiteley Phil Withers Dipterists Digest is the journal of the Dipterists Forum . It is intended for amateur, semi- professional and professional field dipterists with interests in British and European flies. All notes and papers submitted to Dipterists Digest are refereed. Articles and notes for publication should be sent to the Editor at the above address, and should be submitted with a current postal and/or e-mail address, which the author agrees will be published with their paper. Articles must not have been accepted for publication elsewhere and should be written in clear and concise English. Contributions should be supplied either as E-mail attachments or on CD in Word or compatible formats. The scope of Dipterists Digest is: - the behaviour, ecology and natural history of flies; - new and improved techniques (e.g. collecting, rearing etc.); - the conservation of flies; - reports from the Diptera Recording Schemes, including maps; - records and assessments of rare or scarce species and those new to regions, countries etc.; - local faunal accounts and field meeting results, especially if accompanied by ecological or natural history interpretation; - descriptions of species new to science; - notes on identification and deletions or amendments to standard key works and checklists.
    [Show full text]
  • Plant Diversity Effects on Plant-Pollinator Interactions in Urban and Agricultural Settings
    Research Collection Doctoral Thesis Plant diversity effects on plant-pollinator interactions in urban and agricultural settings Author(s): Hennig, Ernest Ireneusz Publication Date: 2011 Permanent Link: https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-a-006689739 Rights / License: In Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Permitted This page was generated automatically upon download from the ETH Zurich Research Collection. For more information please consult the Terms of use. ETH Library Diss. ETH No. 19624 Plant Diversity Effects on Plant-Pollinator Interactions in Urban and Agricultural Settings A dissertation submitted to the ETH ZURICH¨ for the degree of DOCTOR OF SCIENCES presented by ERNEST IRENEUSZ HENNIG Degree in Environmental Science (Comparable to Msc (Master of Science)) University Duisburg-Essen born 09th February 1977 in Swiebodzice´ (Poland) accepted on the recommendation of Prof. Dr. Jaboury Ghazoul, examiner Prof. Dr. Felix Kienast, co-examiner Dr. Simon Leather, co-examiner Prof. Dr. Alex Widmer, co-examiner 2011 You can never make a horse out of a donkey my father Andrzej Zbigniew Hennig Young Man Intrigued by the Flight of a Non-Euclidian Fly (Max Ernst, 1944) Contents Abstract Zusammenfassung 1 Introduction 9 1.1 Competition and facilitation in plant-plant interactions for pollinator services .9 1.2 Pollination in the urban environment . 11 1.3 Objectives . 12 1.4 References . 12 2 Does plant diversity enhance pollinator facilitation? An experimental approach 19 2.1 Introduction . 20 2.2 Materials & Methods . 21 2.2.1 Study Design . 21 2.2.2 Data Collection . 22 2.2.3 Analysis . 22 2.3 Results . 23 2.3.1 Pollinator Species and Visits .
    [Show full text]
  • Hoverfly Newsletter 36
    HOVERFLY NUMBER 36 NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2003 ISSN 1358-5029 This edition is being produced in the wake of the second international symposium which was held in Alicante in June. Alan Stubbs has commented below that Spain was, as expected, too dry in mid-June for many hoverflies to be found. It seems to me that the same comment is true for Britain for much of the present season; although I have had a few productive days this year, on the majority of occasions when I have been in the field hoverfly numbers have proved to be sparse as a result of the hot and very dry conditions. The growth of interest on the subject however continues unabated, as anyone who subscribes to the UK hoverfly email exchange group will testify. Copy for Hoverfly Newsletter No. 37 (which is expected to be issued in February 2004) should be sent to me: David Iliff, Green Willows, Station Road, Woodmancote, Cheltenham, Glos, GL52 9HN, Email address [email protected], to reach me by 20 December. CONTENTS II International Symposium on the Syrphidae 2 Alan Stubbs Alicante in mid June 7 Stuart Ball & Roger Morris News from the Hoverfly Recording Scheme 9 Andrew Grayson Similarity of hovering males of Eristalis horticola to those of Hybomitra distinguenda 12 Andrew Grayson Platycheirus rosarum in Yorkshire during 2002 12 Andrew Grayson A second specimen of Platycheirus amplus from Yorkshire 13 Roy Merritt A possible explanation for simultaneous hovering by Rhingia campestris 13 Roy Merritt Observations on Rhingia campestris 14 Alan Stubbs Hair colour variation in Heringia verrucula 14 Interesting recent records 15 Alan Stubbs Review: A world review of predatory hoverflies 16 1 II INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE SYRPHIDAE Following the very successful First International Workshop on the Syrphidae at Stuttgart in July 2001 (reviewed in Hoverfly Newsletter No.
    [Show full text]
  • Diversity and Resource Choice of Flower-Visiting Insects in Relation to Pollen Nutritional Quality and Land Use
    Diversity and resource choice of flower-visiting insects in relation to pollen nutritional quality and land use Diversität und Ressourcennutzung Blüten besuchender Insekten in Abhängigkeit von Pollenqualität und Landnutzung Vom Fachbereich Biologie der Technischen Universität Darmstadt zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades eines Doctor rerum naturalium genehmigte Dissertation von Dipl. Biologin Christiane Natalie Weiner aus Köln Berichterstatter (1. Referent): Prof. Dr. Nico Blüthgen Mitberichterstatter (2. Referent): Prof. Dr. Andreas Jürgens Tag der Einreichung: 26.02.2016 Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 29.04.2016 Darmstadt 2016 D17 2 Ehrenwörtliche Erklärung Ich erkläre hiermit ehrenwörtlich, dass ich die vorliegende Arbeit entsprechend den Regeln guter wissenschaftlicher Praxis selbständig und ohne unzulässige Hilfe Dritter angefertigt habe. Sämtliche aus fremden Quellen direkt oder indirekt übernommene Gedanken sowie sämtliche von Anderen direkt oder indirekt übernommene Daten, Techniken und Materialien sind als solche kenntlich gemacht. Die Arbeit wurde bisher keiner anderen Hochschule zu Prüfungszwecken eingereicht. Osterholz-Scharmbeck, den 24.02.2016 3 4 My doctoral thesis is based on the following manuscripts: Weiner, C.N., Werner, M., Linsenmair, K.-E., Blüthgen, N. (2011): Land-use intensity in grasslands: changes in biodiversity, species composition and specialization in flower-visitor networks. Basic and Applied Ecology 12 (4), 292-299. Weiner, C.N., Werner, M., Linsenmair, K.-E., Blüthgen, N. (2014): Land-use impacts on plant-pollinator networks: interaction strength and specialization predict pollinator declines. Ecology 95, 466–474. Weiner, C.N., Werner, M , Blüthgen, N. (in prep.): Land-use intensification triggers diversity loss in pollination networks: Regional distinctions between three different German bioregions Weiner, C.N., Hilpert, A., Werner, M., Linsenmair, K.-E., Blüthgen, N.
    [Show full text]
  • Hoverfly Newsletter 34
    HOVERFLY NUMBER 34 NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2002 ISSN 1358-5029 Long-standing readers of this newsletter may wonder what has happened to the lists of references to recent hoverfly literature that used to appear regularly in these pages. Graham Rotheray compiled these when he was editor and for some time afterwards, and more recently they have been provided by Kenn Watt. For some time Kenn trawled for someone else to take over this task from him, but nobody volunteered. Kenn continued to produce the lists, but now no longer has access to the source that provided him with the references. I therefore now make a plea for someone else to agree to take over this role, ideally producing a list of recent literature for each edition of this newsletter (i.e. twice per year), or if that is not possible, for each alternate edition. Failing a reply to this plea, has anyone any suggestions for a reliable source of references to which I could get access in order to compile the list myself? Copy for Hoverfly Newsletter No. 35 (which is expected to be issued in February 2003) should be sent to me: David Iliff, Green Willows, Station Road, Woodmancote, Cheltenham, Glos, GL52 9HN, Email [email protected], to reach me by 20 December. CONTENTS Stuart Ball Stubbs & Falk, second edition 2 Ted & Dave Levy News from the south-west, 2001 6 Kenneth Watt Flying over Finland: a search for rare saproxylic Diptera on the Aland Islands of Finland 7 Ted & Dave Levy Hoverflies at Coombe Dingle 8 David Iliff Field identification of some British hoverfly species using characteristics not included in the keys 10 Hoverflies of Northumberland 13 Interesting recent records 13 Second International Workshop on the Syrphidae: “Hoverflies: Biodiversity and Conservation” 14 Workshop Registration Form 15 1 STUBBS & FALK, SECOND EDITION Stuart G.
    [Show full text]
  • PDF-Download
    LIFE-Projekt Wildnisgebiet Dürrenstein FORSCHUNGSBERICHT Ergebnisse der Begleitforschung 1997 – 2001 St. Pölten 2001 Impressum: Medieninhaber und Herausgeber: Amt der Niederösterreichischen Landesregierung Abteilung Naturschutz, Landhausplatz 1, 3109 St. Pölten LIFE-Projektleitung: Dr. Erhard Kraus LIFE-Projektkoordination: Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Christoph Leditznig Unter Mitarbeit von Reinhard Pekny und Johann Zehetner 1. Auflage: 100 Stück Erscheinungsort: St. Pölten Titelseite: Gr. Bild: Im Großen Urwald (© E. Kraus), Kl. Bild links: Alpennelke Dianthus alpinus (© W. Gamerith) Kl. Bild Mitte: Kreuzotter Vipera berus (© E. Sochurek) Kl. Bild rechts: Auerwild Tetrao urogallus bei der Bodenbalz (© F. Hafner) Rückseite: Gr. Bild: Totholzskulptur (© E. Kraus) Kl. Bild: Plattkäfer Cucujus cinnaberinus (© P. Zabransky) Gesamtherstellung: gugler print & media, Melk INHALTSVERZEICHNIS Das Life-Projekt Wildnisgebiet Dürrenstein . 5 BERNHARD SPLECHTNA UNTER MITARBEIT VON DOMINIK KÖNIG Kartierung der FFH-Lebensraumtypen . 7 GABRIELE KOVACS UNTER MITARBEIT VON ANTON HAUSKNECHT, INGRID HAUSKNECHT, WOLFGANG DÄMON, THOMAS BARDORF, WALTER JAKLITSCH UND WOLFGANG KLOFAC Mykologische Erhebungen im Rahmen des LIFE-Projektes Wildnisgebiet Dürrenstein . 31 ANNA BAAR UND WALTER PÖLZ Fledermauskundliche Kartierung des Wildnisgebietes Dürrenstein und seiner Umgebung . 50 MARK WÖSS Erfassung der Rauhfußhühner im Rahmen des LIFE-Projektes Wildnisgebiet Dürrenstein . 62 CHRISTOPH LEDITZNIG UND WILHELM LEDITZNIG Großvögel im Special Protection Area Ötscher-Dürrenstein .
    [Show full text]
  • Hoverfly Newsletter No
    Dipterists Forum Hoverfly Newsletter Number 48 Spring 2010 ISSN 1358-5029 I am grateful to everyone who submitted articles and photographs for this issue in a timely manner. The closing date more or less coincided with the publication of the second volume of the new Swedish hoverfly book. Nigel Jones, who had already submitted his review of volume 1, rapidly provided a further one for the second volume. In order to avoid delay I have kept the reviews separate rather than attempting to merge them. Articles and illustrations (including colour images) for the next newsletter are always welcome. Copy for Hoverfly Newsletter No. 49 (which is expected to be issued with the Autumn 2010 Dipterists Forum Bulletin) should be sent to me: David Iliff Green Willows, Station Road, Woodmancote, Cheltenham, Glos, GL52 9HN, (telephone 01242 674398), email:[email protected], to reach me by 20 May 2010. Please note the earlier than usual date which has been changed to fit in with the new bulletin closing dates. although we have not been able to attain the levels Hoverfly Recording Scheme reached in the 1980s. update December 2009 There have been a few notable changes as some of the old Stuart Ball guard such as Eileen Thorpe and Austin Brackenbury 255 Eastfield Road, Peterborough, PE1 4BH, [email protected] have reduced their activity and a number of newcomers Roger Morris have arrived. For example, there is now much more active 7 Vine Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1QE, recording in Shropshire (Nigel Jones), Northamptonshire [email protected] (John Showers), Worcestershire (Harry Green et al.) and This has been quite a remarkable year for a variety of Bedfordshire (John O’Sullivan).
    [Show full text]
  • THE SYRPH the NET DATABASE of EUROPEAN SYRPHIDAE (DIPTERA), PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE Martin C.D.Speight Dept
    THE SYRPH THE NET DATABASE OF EUROPEAN SYRPHIDAE (DIPTERA), PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE Martin C.D.Speight Dept. of Zoology, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland [email protected] Introduction Development of the Syrph the Net (StN) database began in 1990. From the beginning, the primary objective was to produce a predictive tool, to aid in evaluation of the biodiversity maintenance potential of sites and in biodiversity management. Biodiversity maintenance issues, as addressed by use of the StN database, relate to species-level biodiversity within ecosystems, i.e. the species is the unit of biodiversity employed in StN procedures and the general objective is to establish what proportion of the predicted syrphid biodiversity is present within a particular area. A secondary objective was that the database would be published, so that it would be available to others who might wish to use it. The primary objective determined to a considerable extent the sort of information that was coded into the database and the secondary objective largely determined the sort of software used for both spreadsheets and text files. There was also a third objective, that the database should have expert system capability, so that its use wasn’t confined to specialists in the study of syrphids. This resulted in clear delimitation of the database procedures that require expert knowledge from those that do not. A central premise of the StN database is that syrphid species are sufficiently closely associated with particular habitats for each habitat to have its own characteristic assemblage of syrphids, making it possible to predict the potential syrphid fauna of a site from the habitats occurring there.
    [Show full text]
  • Ipterists Digest
    ipterists Digest Dipterists’ Digest is a popular journal aimed primarily at field dipterists in the UK, Ireland and adjacent countries, with interests in recording, ecology, natural history, conservation and identification of British and NW European flies. Articles may be of any length up to 3000 words. Items exceeding this length may be serialised or printed in full, depending on the competition for space. They should be in clear concise English, preferably typed double spaced on one side of A4 paper. Only scientific names should be underlined- Tables should be on separate sheets. Figures drawn in clear black ink. about twice their printed size and lettered clearly. Enquiries about photographs and colour plates — please contact the Production Editor in advance as a charge may be made. References should follow the layout in this issue. Initially the scope of Dipterists' Digest will be:- — Observations of interesting behaviour, ecology, and natural history. — New and improved techniques (e.g. collecting, rearing etc.), — The conservation of flies and their habitats. — Provisional and interim reports from the Diptera Recording Schemes, including provisional and preliminary maps. — Records of new or scarce species for regions, counties, districts etc. — Local faunal accounts, field meeting results, and ‘holiday lists' with good ecological information/interpretation. — Notes on identification, additions, deletions and amendments to standard key works and checklists. — News of new publications/references/iiterature scan. Texts concerned with the Diptera of parts of continental Europe adjacent to the British Isles will also be considered for publication, if submitted in English. Dipterists Digest No.1 1988 E d ite d b y : Derek Whiteley Published by: Derek Whiteley - Sheffield - England for the Diptera Recording Scheme assisted by the Irish Wildlife Service ISSN 0953-7260 Printed by Higham Press Ltd., New Street, Shirland, Derby DE5 6BP s (0773) 832390.
    [Show full text]
  • Hoverfly Newsletter 67
    Dipterists Forum Hoverfly Newsletter Number 67 Spring 2020 ISSN 1358-5029 . On 21 January 2020 I shall be attending a lecture at the University of Gloucester by Adam Hart entitled “The Insect Apocalypse” the subject of which will of course be one that matters to all of us. Spreading awareness of the jeopardy that insects are now facing can only be a good thing, as is the excellent number of articles that, despite this situation, readers have submitted for inclusion in this newsletter. The editorial of Hoverfly Newsletter No. 66 covered two subjects that are followed up in the current issue. One of these was the diminishing UK participation in the international Syrphidae symposia in recent years, but I am pleased to say that Jon Heal, who attended the most recent one, has addressed this matter below. Also the publication of two new illustrated hoverfly guides, from the Netherlands and Canada, were announced. Both are reviewed by Roger Morris in this newsletter. The Dutch book has already proved its value in my local area, by providing the confirmation that we now have Xanthogramma stackelbergi in Gloucestershire (taken at Pope’s Hill in June by John Phillips). Copy for Hoverfly Newsletter No. 68 (which is expected to be issued with the Autumn 2020 Dipterists Forum Bulletin) should be sent to me: David Iliff, Green Willows, Station Road, Woodmancote, Cheltenham, Glos, GL52 9HN, (telephone 01242 674398), email:[email protected], to reach me by 20 June 2020. The hoverfly illustrated at the top right of this page is a male Leucozona laternaria.
    [Show full text]
  • Hoverfly Newsletter 33
    HOVERFLY NUMBER 33 NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2002 ISSN 1358-5029 The spread westwards and northwards of Volucella inanis and Volucella zonaria has been reflected in occasional articles in this newsletter over the years. This issue has no fewer than four notes on the subject, an indication of the increased spread of these species within the last couple of years. Look out for Stuart Ball’s and Roger Morris’s forthcoming paper on the expansion of these species. Copy for Hoverfly Newsletter No. 34 (which is expected to be issued in August 2002) should be sent to me: David Iliff, Green Willows, Station Road, Woodmancote, Cheltenham, Glos, GL52 9HN, Email [email protected] to reach me by 21 June. More contributions to “Interesting recent records” are especially needed. At present this feature has a very south-western bias. CONTENTS Stuart Ball & Roger Morris The future of the Hoverfly Recording Scheme 2 Mike Bloxham Brachyopa species in the West Midlands: records of all four species 4 Simon Damant Further hoverflies at Wimpole Hall 5 David Iliff Dark form of Leucozona lucorum: unusually frequent in Gloucestershire in 2001 7 Phil Wilkins Volucella inanis in Northamptonshire 8 Brian Wetton Volucella inanis in Nottinghamshire 8 Neil Frankum Volucella inanis new to Leicestershire 9 David Iliff First record of Volucella zonaria in North Gloucestershire 10 Kenn Watt Diptera survey of Insh Marshes RSPB Reserve, Speyside 10 Kenn Watt Scotland’s Hoverfly Recording Scheme: Xanthandrus comtus back from the edge of extinction 11 Alan Stubbs Notes from the literature 12 Alan Stubbs Hoverfly identification notes 13 First International Workshop on the Syrphidae 14 Interesting Recent Records 15 1 Book Review: Zweefvliegen Veldgids by Menno Reemer 15 Book Review: Auf Gläsernen Schwingen: Schwebfliegen by Ulrich Schmid 16 THE FUTURE OF THE HOVERFLY RECORDING SCHEME Stuart G.
    [Show full text]