20.a. Surstylus: large tooth accompanied SPHEGINA by a small tooth at the base, large tooth somewhat narrowed towards base (fig- ure 722); hairs on lateral margin of ter- Introduction gites 3-5 pale, in melanistic specimens intermixed with a few black; tergite 2-4 Sphegina inhabit shaded areas in damp with pairs of spots, which may touch in coniferous and deciduous forests, in asso- the middle. 7-10 mm. Europe, Siberia › ciation with running water. Adults Sphaerophoria interrupta (Fabricius) (= through the vegetation and are found vis- Sphaerophoria menthastri auct.) iting flowers of white umbellifers and 20.b. Surstylus: small tooth at the base of other flowers along the forest edge. The the large tooth absent, large tooth grad- larvae have been found in wet, sappy ually widened towards base (figure 731); material beneath a patch of wet bark on a hairs on lateral margin of tergites 3-5 living Ulmus (Hartley, 1961). Larvae have black; tergites 2-4 with yellow bands. 7- also been found under the bark of water- 10 mm. Northern Europe, mountains of logged branches of various deciduous Central Europe › Sphaerophoria laurae trees and in sap runs on Quercus (S. clu- Goeldlin de Tiefenau nipes by Rotheray, 1990) and Ulmus (S. elegans and S. verecunda, by Hartley, 1961), see Speight (2003). SPHECOMYIA Recognition Sphegina are slender, elongate . Their Introduction abdomen is claviform with segment 2 elongate and segments 3 and 4 broad- Sphecomyia are rare, boreal that ened, a feature especially prominent in live along rivers and streams in boreal the female. Their colour is usually dark, forests. These large, yellow and black hov- even blackish. Some species have large erflies are excellent mimics of social wasps. reddish markings on tergites 3 and 4. S. sibirica has a yellow colour form. The key is based on Thompson and Torp (1986), Key Doczkal (1995), Vujic (1990) and Kassebeer (1991). 1. Only a single species in Europe. Face yellow with black stripe; tergites black with yellow bands. 12-14 mm. Northern Europe, Northern Siberia › Sphecomyia vespiformis Gorski Jizz: remains a convincing wasp mimic even when pinned!

figure 732. , thorax from figure 733. , thorax from below (Verlinden). below (Verlinden).

209 Key 6.a. Hind coxa partially pale, yellow to orange › 7 1.a. First sternum not reduced, wider than 6.b. Hind coxa dark, brownish to black; long, oval (figure 732 › 2 frons with long black hairs, with some 1.b. First sternum greatly reduced (and hairs longer than 3rd antennal segment longer than wide) or absent (figure width. 6-7 mm. Northern Europe and 733); face and humerus black; katepis- mountains of Central Europe, Siberia › ternum shiny. 7-8 mm. Northern, Sphegina spheginea (Zetterstedt) Western and Central Europe, Siberia, extending its range › Sphegina sibirica 7.a. Antenna pale orange; subcosta joining Stackelberg costa before r-rm crossvein (figure 738); Jizz: specimens black to yellow (var. flavescens) surstyle narrowed and pointed apically with all intermediates. (figure 740). 5-7 mm. Central Europe › Sphegina nigra Meigen (= Sphegina 2.a. Katepisternum dull, grey pollinose, at clavata Scopoli) most upper margin shiny › 3 2.b. Katepisternum shiny, without polli- nosity; hind coxa black; face usually entirely black. 5-6 mm. Northern and 735. Central Europe › Becker 3.a. Tibia 2: not expanded (figure 749), male: tibia 2 not expanded, if some expansion appears then legs 1 and 2 blackish extensively dark; female: tibia 2 of equal width over its length, at apex at most with some brownish bristles › 4 3.b. Tibia 2 expanded on distal 1/2, male: greatly expanded on apical 1/4 (figure 734), female: expanded on apical 1/2 736. and with dense black bristles at the apex. 7-9 mm. Elevated parts of Central Europe › Sphegina platychira Szilady 4.a. Males (eyes separated, check for gen- italia) › 5 4.b. Females (females of S. claviventris not yellowish known) › 13 5.a. Face entirely dark brownish to black (figure 735) › 6 5.b. Face pale yellow to orange on ventral 737. 1/4 or more (figure 736, figure 737) › 8

yellowish

figure 735. Sphegina verecunda, head of male. figure 736. , head of male. figure 734. Sphegina platychira, leg 2 (after figure 737. Sphegina clunipes, head of male Van der Goot, 1981). (Verlinden).

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