[Syrphidae] Re: FW: Hoverfly video

[Steven Falk]

Just a quick note to let you all know that the British Syrphidae photo
collection on my Flickr sites is nearing completion, and now features some
images of Eristalis cryptarum from Dartmoor, UK. 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/63075200@N07/collections/72157629600153789/

 

A gorgeous creature now very rare in Britain. It clearly likes acidic mire
with Sphagnum, Hypericum elodes etc. but I also suspect it is a poor
competitor that avoids sites with strong populations of other Eristalis
species and also the muscid Graphomya which predates Eristalis larvae. We
found it at sites where Eristalis-attracting flowers like Angelica and
Valerian were scarce. Buglife (the organisation I now work for) has an
ongoing  research project for this species. Does anybody have any experience
of cryptarum, especially oviposition observations?

 

Also some nice images of other Eristalis including hovering interruptus!

 

Best wishes,

 

Steven

 

Steven Falk

Artist - Naturalist - Photographer 

www.stevenfalk.co.uk

 

Wildlife identification & information resources at:

www.flickr.com/people/63075200 at N07/

  _____  

From: syrphidae-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk
[mailto:syrphidae-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Francis
Gilbert
Sent: 31 August 2012 09:58
To: Hoverfly discussion list
Subject: [Syrphidae] FW: Hoverfly video

 

 

 

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