[Syrphidae] Old Growth Temporate Rainforest Canopy Syrphids

christian thompson cthompson@sel.barc.usda.gov
Wed, 20 Feb 2002 16:17:33 -0500


The first question is whether the species were correctly identified.

Ocyptamus diversifasciatus is not what one would expect in Sitka spruce on
west coast of Vancouver.

And Eupeodes volucris females at least look a lot like Eupeodes
(Metasyrphus) species, which are more typical of spurce forests.

Ocyptamus is a large genus, species of which are also know to feed on
aphids, scales, mites, membracids, etc. 

The biology of diversifasciatus is unknown, that of Eupeodes volucris is
well known as it is an important aphid predator (try Heiss 1938, Illinois
Biol. Monogr. 16)

Feel free to send specimens to me for identification if you want.

Cheers

F. Christian Thompson
Systematic Entomology Lab., ARS, USDA
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, D. C. 20560-0169
(202) 382-1800 voice
(202) 786-9422 FAX
cthompso@sel.barc.usda.gov [NB: no terminal "n"]
visit our Diptera site at www.diptera.org


>>> <rudis@uvic.ca> 02/20 2:44 PM >>>
Greetings from a new member;

A small number of Syrphids were caught in the canopy of a Sitka spruce Old
Growth rainforest (West Coast Vancouver Island).

Two of the specimens have so far been identified as: Ocyptamus
diversifasciatus (female) and Eupeodes (Eupeodes) volucris (not sexed).

1. Any good sources of literature on the biology of these two species?

2. Any speculation as to what they were doing in the canopy. E.g. any
relevance to Ocyptamous' predation of Whiteflies?

Thanks and Regards

Rudi Samoszynski

Biology; University of Victoria
B.C. Canada


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