[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]

Things really wind down in September. Only three species peak in this month, although plenty of summer species will hang around for a while - in fact a further 94 species remain above 10%opa in September, and they are listed at the end.

September is the best month to see....

*TOP TARGET*

Callicera spinolae (73,-80%)

A rare treat. Females can be easily distinguished from the similar C. aurata by their all-orange femora. Both sexes have dull black hind margins to the tergites, and relatively conspicuous bands of pale hairs on the tergite hind margins.

This hoverfly appears from nowhere in September and can be seen into October, often on Ivy. Larvae live in tree rot holes. It has expanded out of its previous stomping ground in East Anglia and now occupies an area east of a line from Brighton to Rutland. Falk's pics

Didea fasciata (34,-45%)

This species has been building for a long time (it first surpassed 10%opa in April!) but it peaks now. It can be seen on a wide range of flowers, including ivy. A view of the pale halteres is crucial. Falk's pics

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

Helophilus pendulus (0,-24%)

The following species remain above 10%opa in September

 
Pipizinae Heringia vitripennis 25%opa
Pipiza lugubris 17%opa
Triglyphus primus 11%opa
Eristalinae Callicera aurata 14%opa
Cheilosia bergenstammi 24%opa, C. caerulescens 20%opa, C. cynocephala 19%opa, C. griseiventris 10%opa, C. impressa 26%opa, C. latifrons 34%opa, C. longula 18%opa, C. mutabilis 17%opa, C. pagana 16%opa, C. scutellata 34%opa, C. soror 51%opa, C. vernalis 33%opa, C. velutina 13%opa
Eristalinus aeneus 17%opa
Eristalis abusiva 65%opa, E. arbustorum 52%opa, E. cryptarum 38%opa, E. horticola 40%opa, E. intricaria 16%opa, E. nemorum 32%opa, E. pertinax 57%opa, E. rupium 18%opa, E. tenax 73%opa
Eumerus funeralis 25%opa, E. strigatus 17%opa
Ferdinandea cuprea 42%opa, F. ruficornis 27%opa
Helophilus hybridus 52%opa, H. trivittatus 32%opa
Lejogaster metallina 13%opa
Lejops vittatus 22%opa
Myathropa florea 34%opa
Neoascia geniculata 14%opa, N. interrupta 11%opa, N. podagrica 51%opa
Rhingia rostrata 57%opa
Riponnensia splendens 21%opa
Sericomyia silentis 60%opa, S. superbiens 95%opa
Sphegina clunipes 10%opa
Syritta pipiens 32%opa
Volucella inanis 17%opa, V. zonaria 33%opa
Xylota florum 12%opa, X. segnis 23%opa, X. sylvarum 16%opa
Syrphinae Baccha elongata 25%opa
Chrysotoxum arcuatum 33%opa
Dasysyrphus albostriatus 33%opa, D. tricinctus 27%opa
Didea alneti 25%opa
Epistrophe grossulariae 34%opa
Episyrphus balteatus 27%opa
Eriozona syrphoides 14%opa
Eupeodes bucculatus 50%opa, E. corollae 11%opa, E. latifasciatus 49%opa, E. luniger 71%opa, E. nielseni 13%opa, E. nitens 21%opa
Leucozona glaucia 33%opa
Megasyrphus erraticus 22%opa
Melangyna arctica 11%opa, M. barbifrons 13%opa, M. compositarum 14%opa, M. labiatarum 15%opa, M. umbellatarum 22%opa
Melanostoma mellinum 31%opa, M. scalare 41%opa
Meliscaeva cinctella 36%opa
Parasyrphus lineola 18%opa
Platycheirus albimanus 62%opa, P. clypeatus 15%opa, P. europaeus 11%opa, P. manicatus 14%opa, P. peltatus 38%opa, P. scutatus 52%opa, P. sticticus 10%opa
Pyrophaena granditarsus 38%opa
Scaeva selenitica 25%opa, S. pyrastri 12%opa
Sphaerophoria batava 10%opa, S. loewi 25%opa, S. rueppellii 11%opa, S. scripta 24%opa, S. virgata 14%opa
Syrphus ribesii 71%opa, S. torvus 54%opa, S. vitripennis 60%opa
Xanthandrus comtus 25%opa
Xanthogramma pedissequum 11%opa

Posted on February 8, 2024 10:02 AM by matthewvosper