[For explanations and definitions see here. Almost all of the data here is derived from NBN Atlas and the species information from Steven Falk's Flickr and the HRS website]

More species peak in June than any other month (81), but only 30 are exceeding 10% of peak abundance for the first time. It's a good time for flower feeders. Remember, hoverflies like open flowers with easily accessible nectar. Umbellifers (esp. Apiaceae) and asters are particularly popular: small flat flowers in preference to deep tubular or bell-shaped ones. Having said that - don't forget to keep an eye on low vegetation, tree trunks etc.

June is the best month to see....

...Didea intermedia (65,-83%)

Didea species are distinctive due to the dipped radial vein and the rather angry-looking abdomen markings - strongly angled spots on T2. D intermedia is distinguished from the other common species fasciata by the black haltere knob - so do your best to get a clear view of the side under the wing. The rare D alneti usually has broken bands on T3-4 with a greenish colour, and no markings on T5 (the others have a complete bands on T3-4 and little markings in the front corners of T5). D intermedia and alneti have face stripes (alneti less so) which fasciata usually lacks. The female frons of Didea sports a bold black inverted Y marking: this falls short of the lunule in intermedia but usually reaches the lunule in the others. The scutellum of intermedia is a slightly characteristic pale colour with a dark rim.

This species' larvae are associated with pine aphids, and it is rarely found far from conifers. Its distribution is blotchy throughout England, but its real stronghold is in the Cairngorms and Highlands. Falk's pics

...Doros profuges (77,-66%)

A distinctive, large and spectacular wasp mimic - but very elusive. It is believed to have a very short flight period in early June (late May). Larvae are believed to be associated with black ants - or the aphids they attend. The related (and even rarer) continental species D destillatorius was observed apparently ovipositing on a moss-covered oak at about head height, near an ant trackway up the tree. It is known from the central part of southern England, northern Lancashire and the Isle of Mull - but its elusiveness means it could easily be undetected elsewhere. Falk's pics

*TOP TARGETS*

...Anasimyia contracta (28,-79%), Eurimyia lineata (21,-83%) and Anasimyia transfuga (47,-98%)

These three are recognisable as Helophilines by the striped scutum, bend in the radial vein and unspotted eyes. They can be distinguished from others by the elongate bodies, abdomen pattern and orange antennae. To distinguish from each other one needs a picture of the face ideally in side profile (extended forwards into a snout in Eurimyia, and slightly extended in some Anasimyia), the shape of the second abdominal segment seen from above (try and get it with the wings open), and the pattern on T3-4 including the sides.

They can be found around wetlands and ponds with emergent vegetation to trap rotting material. E lineata is abundant everywhere, A. contracta appears to be missing in the north of Scotland, and A transfuga seems to be missing north of Yorkshire. Falk's pics

*TOP TARGET*

...Epistrophe diaphana (59,-96%)

One of two Epistrophe with black antennae, but unlike E. grossluariae the bands are pinched forwards at the margins like a Syrphus. It can be distinguished from Syrphus by the shinier scutum and yellower frons - not black at the front (especially obvious in females), also T5 is usually completely yellow (only yellow at the front and back edge in Syrphus).

The behaviour of this species is like other Syrphines and the larvae eat aphids. It is found in England as far north as Yorkshire, and is extending its range northward. Falk's pics

*TOP TARGET*

...Trichopsomyia flavitarsis (26,-99%)

A Pipizine hoverfly with the upper-outer cross vein joining the radial vein at a near right angle like a Pipizella (always get the wing venation with Pipizines!) The legs are much yellower than any Pipizella however. It has two spots on the abdomen like a Pipiza. T lucida has been recorded once in the UK - but the wing venation is different, and the abdominal spots are larger.

It is a species of wetlands/boggy areas. The larvae attack larvae of the psyllid Livia junci which make striking galls on rushes. T. flavitarsis is abundant throughout Great Britain. Falk's pics

*TOP TARGETS*

...Sphegina clunipes (20,-100%)* and *Sphegina sibirica (35,-92%)

Your best bet for getting identifiable pictures of Sphegina is to get very clear pictures of the wing venation, the feet (contrastingly black in sibirica) and the abdomen of a male from the side (the genital capsule of clunipes has a very prominent 'spike' pointing forwards on each side.) This is a challenge with such tiny, delicate flies.

S clunipes is one of the commonest hoverflies with no iNatUK observations. It is found everywhere in Great Britain, but sibirica is uncommon in England south and east of a bent line from Bournemouth to Birmingham to Hull. These species like lush vegetation in and around woods. They prefer shade - but less so in Scotland - and the larvae are associated with sap runs. Falk writes that adults can often be found nectaring on Fool's Watercress and Lesser Water-Parsnip. Falk's pics

*TOP TARGETS*

...Xylota jakutorum (29,-91%), Xylota xanthocnema (59,-87%)

Xylota species are usually observed running around on broad leaves: they are not often seen on flowers. Useful characters include the abdomen markings, the colour hind tibia from the side (the view from above can be deceptive because yellow hairs can mask the black colour of the apical part), the dust spots on the female frons and the shape of the abdomen (from above). xanthocnema is restricted to England and Wales, jakutorum occurs north of a bent line from Bournemouth to Birmingham to Hull.

...Eristalis cryptarum (66,-94%)

Only found in association with bogs on Dartmoor. A distinctive reddish appearance for an Eristalis and mostly orange legs. Falk's pics

...Eumerus sabulonum (51,-100%)

The easiest Eumerus to identify because the sides of T2 are reddish. This is a strongly coastal species, appearing on the west coast of Britain from Portsmouth to Glasgow, especially Wales. Larvae may be associated with Sheep's-bit (Jasione montana) Falk's pics

...Eumerus ornatus (51,-97%)

This Eumerus requires a very clear picture of the position of the ocellar triangle on the vertex. It occurs mainly in certral and southern England, but extends into south and north Wales and up the coast to the Peak district, and in the east to Lincolnshire. It is associated with meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) Falk's pics

...Mallota cimbiciformis (56,-92%)

A furry bumblebee mimic in the tribe Eristalini, subtribe Helophilina, so the radial vein is strongy bent but the marginal cell is open. The scutum is densely golden haired, the black abdomen is sparsely white haired. The wing has a central cloud. This is another species whose larvae are associated with water-filled rot holes in mature deciduous broadleaved trees. It is most concentrated it the south of England, but there are scattered records as far north as Montrose. It does not seem to occur in Wales, however. Falk's pics

The following species were discussed in May's's 'First month you may find', but they peak now:

Brachypalpoides lentus (36,-79%), Chrysotoxum arcuatum (22,-81%), Chrysotoxum cautum (34,-53%), Eupeodes nielseni (73,-100%), Hammerschmidtia ferruginea (74,-100%), Lejogaster metallina (12,-96%), Microdon analis (70,-84%), Microdon devius (52,-100%), Parhelophilus frutetorum (37,-93%), Pipiza austriaca (40,-92%), and a summary of various *Platycheirus

The following species were discussed in April's's 'First month you may find', but they peak now:

Parasyrphus annulatus (71,-100%)

Other species that peak in June [species in square brackets usually require microscopy to identify]:

Pipizinae [Heringia brevidens (90,-100%), H. (75,-100%), H. vitripennis (69,-93%)]
[Pipiza fasciata (74,-100%)]
[Pipizella viduata (17,-99%), Pipizella virens (42,-98%)]
Microdontinae [Microdon mutabilis (50,-94%), M. myrmicae (63,-62%)]
Eristalinae Chalcosyrphus nemorum (23,-80%)
[Cheilosia ahenea (95,-100%), C. sahlbergi (92,-100%), C. vicina (47,-100%)]
Chrysogaster virescens (41,-100%)
[Melanogaster hirtella (9,-97%)]
Merodon equestris (10,169%)
Orthonevra intermedia (93,-100%), O. nobilis (32,-90%)
Pelecocera scaevoides (64,-100%)
Sericomyia lappona (23,-77%)
Riponnensia splendens (26,-70%)
[Sphegina. elegans (33,-94%), S. verecunda (36,-99%)]
Tropidia scita (15,-71%)
Volucella bombylans (5,-42%), V. inflata (31,-38%)
Syrphinae Chrysotoxum octomaculatum (87,-100%), C. vernale (85,-72%)
[Dasysyrphus friuliensis (80,-100%), D. neovenustus (87,-68%), D. pinastri (60,-91%)]
Eupeodes lundbecki (93,-100%)
Lapposyrphus lapponicus (79,-82%)
Melangyna ericarum (90,-100%), Melangyna labiatarum (43,-61%)
Meliscaeva auricollis (15,63%)
Paragus albifrons (85,-100%)
Parasyrphus vittiger (48,-97%)
Platycheirus amplus (83,-100%), P. angustatus (14,-99%) P. europaeus (40,-100%), P. fulviventris (29,-97%), P. immarginatus (48,-100%) P. melanopsis (82,-100%), P. perpallidus (57,-100%), P. podagratus (46,-100%), P ramsarensis (40,-100%), P scambus (31,-96%), P. scutatus (14,-84%)
[Sphaerophoria batava (53,-100%), S. philanthus (22,-100%), S. potentillae (87,-100%), S virgata (69,-100%)]
Xanthogramma pedissequum (18,26%)
Xylota segnis (4,-43%)

June may be the first month you see...

...Eristalis rupium (38,-71%)

61%opa in June. An Eristalis with a distinct wing cloud (usually linear in males, like E horticola but the spots are pointy not rounded; quadrate in females). The hind metatarsus is yellow, unlike any other Eristalis except the distinctive E cryptarum which has almost entirely orange legs, and only occurs on Dartmoor. E rupium's stronghold is in Scotland and the very north of England, but it's range extends down the east coast as far as the Humber estuary, and down the Pennines to the Peak Distict. It is also fairly abundant in Wales, especially the northwest. Falk's pics

...Lejops vittatus (67,-100%)

72%opa in June. A Helophiline distinguished from the similar Anasimyia species by black, rather than orange andtennae, but in any case with a distinctive 'dashed' abdomen pattern. It's range is very limited: it occurs in coastal areas from Kent to Norfolk, and around the Severn estuary - venturing further inland on the Somerset Levels. It occurs in somewhat brackish waters - e.g. coastal grazing marsh - where the bases of sea clubrush (Scirpus maritimus) are normally submerged. The association with this plant is strong and the adults are said to be sluggish - not flying a lot - so searching and sweeping clubrush is the best way to find it. Falk's pics

...Chrysogaster cemiteriorum (29,-90%)

36%opa in June. This species has pale yellow wing bases and brownish antennae but the best feature if you can get it, is the strongly dusted proepimeron (side of the thoax just above the front coxae) - an image low to the side focussed on the area above the front leg is needed. It occurs throughout England and Wales to the south of Scotland, and also in the north of Scotland. Wetland, wet meadow and forest margins are the places to look, often found on umbellifers.

...Cheilosia scutellata (36,-77%)

53%opa in June. Several Cheilosia (including particularly this one) are helped by an image of the face knob from directly above - so try to get a shot of it down between the antennae to show whether it is pointed or rounded, narrow or broad. This is one of three UK Cheilosia in the subgenus Eucartosyrphus: their larvae feed in fungi (in this case members of Boletus), and they can be distinguished from other subgenera by the fact that the females have a pale tip to the scutellum. Common in England and Wales, but patchy in the very north of England and in Scotland. Falk's pics

Other species exceeding 10% of peak abundance (%opa) for the first time in June are [species in square brackets usually require microscopy to identify]:

Pipizinae Pipizella maculipennis (90,-100%) 25%opa
Eristalinae Blera fallax (77,-100%) 56%opa
Callicera aurata (67,-40%) 64%opa
[Cheilosia cynocephala (71,-100%) 25%opa, C. (50,-100%) 35%opa, C. velutina (76,-100%) 13%opa]
Chrysogaster solstitialis (12,-52%) 67%opa
Helophilus trivittatus (17,-18%) 45%opa
Pelecocera tricincta (66,-55%) 76%opa
Volucella pellucens (4,+78%) 89%opa, V. zonaria (16,+1034%) 17%opa
Xylota florum (48,-95%) 76%opa
Syrphinae Chrysotoxum bicinctum (10,-31%) 83%opa, C. festivum (27,+63%) 62%opa, Chrysotoxum verralli (46,+23%) 29%opa
Didea alneti (87,-100%) 50%opa
Epistrophe grossulariae (13,-8%) 39%opa
Eriozona syrphoides (40,-64%) 14%opa
Leucozona glaucia (11,-33%) 12%opa, L. laternaria (25,-56%) 54%opa
Melangyna umbellatarum (35,-61%) 34%opa
Meligramma guttatum (76,-100%) 38%opa
Paragus tibialis (70,-100%) 45%opa
Scaeva pyrastri (7,+18%) 40%opa
Sphaerophoria loewi (85,-100%) 75%opa
Xanthogramma stackelbergi (71,-15%) 67%opa

Posted on February 8, 2024 12:02 AM by matthewvosper