Some East Suffolk Hover-Flies

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SOME EAST SUFFOLK HOVER-FLIES By W. S. GEORGE for entomology, I centred

restricted time my collecting on the Syrphidae or Hover-flies, hoping so to cover this limited field. But with 233 species listed as British, I have found this ta larger than expected, and so can comment on only a few specie I have found members of eight of the eleven sub-families. The VOLUCELLINAE, large, strikingflies,whose larvae scavenge wasps' and bees' nests, are well represented. I have seen all five species in East Suffolk, most usually Volucella bomby Linn. (June to August), a variable species, each formofwhich mimics the bumble bee supporting its larva. But V. pellucen Linn, almost as common, in no way resembles its host, the commo wasp. With both these species in Fen Wood, Blythburgh, I took three males of V. inanis Linn, on August 2nd, 9th and 16th, This species, I think, is not previously recorded from Suffolk. The larger migrantflyV. zonaria Poda. I saw at Easton Wo near Covehithe on July 16th, 1950, again the only Suffolk record I know. I have one V. inflata Fab. from Walpole3 on Tulv 1 1949. The ERISTALINAE with their peculiar looped vein near the wing-tip, are noticeableflies.Most Eristalis species mimic the hive bee. E. tenax Linn, is common ; I oftenfindit in the centre of Haiesworth, and it shares my garden at Aldeburgh with E. arbustorum Linn, and E. nemorum Linn. For som unknown to me, all EristalisfliesI have seen in Fen Wood hav belonged to the species E. pertinax Scopoli., easily recognised by its orange front feet. E. pertinax also abounds on the road just north of Westleton. Neither locality is near many houses. E. tenax is known to be associated with drains as a larva. E carius Linn, resembles a small bumble bee, and is sometimes s E. sepulchralis Linn. andÂŁ. aeneus Scopoli., I have also s are drab. MyiatropafloreaLinn, occurs in woods and fields also Helophilus species with their yellow-striped thorax. I take Merodon equestris Fab. (The Bulb Fly) whenever I s the Linden Road, to lessen the attacks on my Narcissi. This summer I took it on June Ist and 12th. WITH

The EUMERINAE also attack bulbs. Eumerus strigatus Fal small drabfly,was in a garden at Walpole in August, 1951 and unfortunately, in mine this June Ist. Most frequent of the XYLOTINAE is Syritta pipiens Linn, a narrowflywith thick hind legs. This May it was the commonest Syrphid in my garden, and it remained frequent throughout the summer. Tropidia scita Harris and Xylota segnis Lin


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