Hoverflies & Flies

Diptera recorded in the Lancing area

Syrphidae — Hoverflies

Syritta pipiens — Thick-legged Hoverfly
Scaeva pyrastri — Pied Hoverfly
Volucella pellucens — Pellucid Hoverfly
Volucella inanis
Volucella zonaria — Hornet Mimic
Volucella inflata
Meliscaeva auricollis
Eristalis pertinax — Tapered Drone Fly
Eristalis tenax — Drone Fly
Eristalis interruptus
Merodon equestris
Syrphus spp.
Myathropa florea
Episyrphus balteatus — Marmalade Fly
Xanthogramma pedissequum
Sphaerophoria scripta
Helophilus pendulus
Eupeodes corollae / luniger

Stratiomyidae — Soldier Flies

Bibionidae

Bibio marci — St Mark's Fly

Muscidae & Other

Dasyphora sp. — Greenbottle
Thelaira sp. — Tachinid

Syrphidae — Hoverflies

Sphaerophoria scripta

Hoverflies in cop

27.08.2005
File: 2728

Wikipedia: Sphaerophoria scripta

ID: David Iliff

Sphaerophoria sp.

Long-hoverfly (Male)

31.03.2026
Garden sighting

A distinctive male specimen. While certain features suggest the genus Sphaerophoria, species-level identification is not possible from a photograph alone.

Syritta pipiens (f)

Thick-legged Hoverfly

16.08.2005
Garden
File: 2572

Wikipedia: Syritta pipiens

Syritta pipiens (m)

Thick-legged Hoverfly

16.08.2005
Garden
File: 2590

Episyrphus balteatus (m)

Marmalade Fly

16.08.2005
Garden
File: 2579

Wikipedia: Episyrphus balteatus

Episyrphus balteatus

Marmalade Fly

31.07.2004
Garden
File: 9557

Episyrphus balteatus

Marmalade Fly

25.06.2004
Garden

“The double bars on the abdomen are distinctive.” — Matt Smith, UK-Hoverflies

Sphaerophoria scripta (f)

Hoverfly — female

03.07.2005
Garden
File: 1603

Wikipedia: Sphaerophoria scripta

Sphaerophoria scripta (m)

Hoverfly — male

13.07.2004
McIntyres Field, Sompting

Sphaerophoria scripta

Hoverfly

31.07.2004
Garden
File: 9572

Sphaerophoria scripta

Hoverfly

09.08.2004
Garden
File: 9658

Scaeva pyrastri (m)

Pied Hoverfly

02.08.2005
Garden
File: 2291

Wikipedia: Scaeva pyrastri

Volucella zonaria (f)

Hornet Mimic Hoverfly

25.08.2005
Garden
File: 2643

Wikipedia: Volucella zonaria

Volucella inanis (f)

Hoverfly

09.08.2005
McIntyres Field, Lancing Ring
File: 2462

Wikipedia: Volucella inanis

Volucella pellucens

Pellucid Hoverfly

07.07.2005
McIntyres Field, Lancing Ring
File: 1688

Wikipedia: Volucella pellucens HBGR

ID confirmed: Murdo Macdonald

Volucella inflata

Hoverfly

18.06.2005
McIntyres Field, Lancing Ring
File: 1052

Wikipedia: Volucella inflata

ID: Jill Mears

Meliscaeva auricollis

Hoverfly

26.03.2005
St James-the-Less Churchyard, North Lancing

Wikipedia: Meliscaeva auricollis

ID: David Iliff, UK Hoverflies

Eristalis pertinax — dark form

Tapered Drone Fly

24.04.2005
Mash Barn Lane
Larva: Rat-tailed maggot
File: 1611

Wikipedia: Eristalis pertinax

ID: David Iliff, UK Hoverflies

Eristalis tenax (m)

Drone Fly / Rat-tail Maggot

18.08.2005
Garden

Wikipedia: Eristalis tenax

Eristalis tenax (probably)

Drone Fly / Rat-tail Maggot

22.02.2003
On painted house wall
File: 864

Click image for rat-tail maggot larvae ›

Eristalis interruptus [syn. nemorum]

Hoverfly — female

15.08.2004
Lancing Ring Meadows
File: 9698

Wikipedia: Eristalis nemorum

“It is a female nemorum — also showing white margins to the tergites as found in cryptarum, but with a very different leg colour. Good timing.” — Steven Falk, Senior Keeper of Natural History, Warwickshire Museum

Merodon equestris

Hoverfly

29.05.2004
Garden
File: 8845

Wikipedia: Merodon equestris

Syrphus spp. (ribesii, unconfirmed)

Hoverfly

11.04.2004
Garden
File: 8543

“Cannot be identified to species. This has always been a tricky genus requiring considerable care, but the addition of S. rectus has made it difficult to impossible. You will usually need a specimen under good magnification and lighting to get this genus to species.” — Stuart Ball

Syrphus spp. (ribesii?)

Hoverfly — female

16.09.2004
Garden — observed egg-laying on Oenothera
File: 9827

Wikipedia: Syrphus ribesii

“I think that is just an effect of the abdomen being flexed and showing the tergite joints — either the joint is coloured or the tergite edges are catching the light.” — Steve Covey, UK-Hoverflies