Chrysotoxum bicinctum

Chrysotoxum bicinctum
Chrysotoxum bicinctum. Male
Female
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Syrphidae
Genus: Chrysotoxum
Species: C. bicinctum
Binomial name
Chrysotoxum bicinctum
(Linnaeus 1758)
Synonyms
  • Chrysotoxum callosum (Harris, 1776)
  • Musca bicinctum Linnaeus, 1758
  • Musca callosum Harris, 1776

[1]

Chrysotoxum bicinctum on flowers (video, 1m 23s)

Chrysotoxum bicinctum, is a species of hoverfly.

Description

Chrysotoxum bicinctum can reach a length of about 10–13 millimetres (0.39–0.51 in). This species can be distinguished by the contrasting drawings and by the relatively narrow body shape. Thorax is glossy black with two gray longitudinal stripes. Body is relatively slim, the abdomen is long, oval and black with two light yellow bands (hence the Latin species name bicinctum). As in others Chrysotoxum species antennae are relatively long. They are dark, forward pointing and longer than the head. The head is large and wide and the face is yellow and almost flat. The legs are mainly yellow.The wings are transparent, with a large, dark brown spot near the wing tip.

The larvae are thought to feed on ant-attended root aphids. The adult flies can be found from May to September but they are commonest from mid-June to August. They visit a wide range of flowers.

Distribution

It is widespread throughout Britain and Europe but normally encountered in small numbers.

Habitat

Adults are usually found on the edges of woodland or scrub or along hedgerows.[2]

Bibliography

References

  1. Catalogue of Life
  2. Stubbs, Alan E. and Falk, Steven J. (1983). British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide. British Entomological & Natural History Society. pp. 253, xvpp.

External links