[Syrphidae] FW: Hoverfly video

[Francis Gilbert]

Dr Francis Gilbert
Associate Professor of Ecology, School of Biology
University Park, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 115 951 3215
website: www.nottingham.ac.uk/~plzfg
                ecology.nottingham.ac.uk


From: Stephen Harris [mailto:sjh_qw at yahoo.co.uk]
Sent: 30 August 2012 16:43
To: Francis Gilbert
Subject: Re: Hoverfly

I posted the 15 sec clip on Youtube if you are interested in seeing it

Steve

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2HunTBKS6I&feature=youtu.be


________________________________
From: Francis Gilbert <Francis.Gilbert at nottingham.ac.uk>
To: Stephen Harris <sjh_qw at yahoo.co.uk>
Sent: Sunday, 26 August 2012, 19:40
Subject: RE: Hoverfly

It's definitely mating behaviour. The male hovers above the female while she is feeding from flowers. It's actually most well known from Eristalis nemorum. There's a picture rather like yours in Stubbs & Falk.

Francis


Dr Francis Gilbert
Associate Professor of Ecology, School of Biology
University Park, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 115 951 3215
website: www.nottingham.ac.uk/~plzfg
                ecology.nottingham.ac.uk


From: Stephen Harris [mailto:sjh_qw at yahoo.co.uk]
Sent: 26 August 2012 15:44
To: Francis Gilbert
Subject: Re: Hoverfly

Hi Francis,

I tried to send you a video clip of these two hoverflies - but the file too large.

I observed this behaviour the other day, and managed to get a short video clip of it.
One hoverfly  hovered above the other for several minutes... within a few cms.
The one on the flower was rubbing its back legs. I thought the hovering individual was waiting a turn on the flower.
But, after several minutes, they flew off together. Is this part of a mating ritual, do you think.

If interested, I'll try and find a way to send it (disc,  dropbox?)

Steve


________________________________
From: Francis Gilbert <Francis.Gilbert at nottingham.ac.uk>
To: Stephen Harris <sjh_qw at yahoo.co.uk>
Sent: Sunday, 26 August 2012, 13:29
Subject: RE: Hoverfly

I think this is Eristalis nemorum

F

Dr Francis Gilbert
Associate Professor of Ecology, School of Biology
University Park, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 115 951 3215
website: www.nottingham.ac.uk/~plzfg
                ecology.nottingham.ac.uk


From: Stephen Harris [mailto:sjh_qw at yahoo.co.uk]
Sent: 26 August 2012 13:26
To: Francis Gilbert
Subject: Re: Hoverfly

See previous email
Could you open video clip?

Steve


________________________________
From: Francis Gilbert <Francis.Gilbert at nottingham.ac.uk>
To: Stephen Harris <sjh_qw at yahoo.co.uk>
Sent: Wednesday, 11 July 2012, 10:12
Subject: RE: Hoverfly

hi Steve

You need the latest edition of Stubbs & Falk !

This is definitely Eristalis. How big was it? It looks like a dark Eristalis tenax to me, but we cannot see the face and eyes, which would be more informative.

Francis



From: Stephen Harris [mailto:sjh_qw at yahoo.co.uk]
Sent: 11 July 2012 09:54
To: francis.gilbert at nottingham.ac.uk
Subject: Hoverfly

Dear Francis
I have a copy of your book on Hoverflies (Naturalists' Handbooks) and am interested in the wide variety of hoverflies. I photographed this one in our garden, in Norfolk yesterday, and couldn't find it in the book, Do you know what it is?

Regards

Steve Harris

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