Chrysotoxum bicinctum - Hover Fly

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Classification Order: Diptera – true flies Family: Conopodiae

Length .10–13 mm

Phenology It flies from May to September but peaks from mid-June to mid-August.

Identification

Adistinctive species with its two yellow bands, the chocolate wing patches cf D. tricintus and the long, forward pointing antennae help differntiate from D. tricintus.Thorax is glossy black with two gray longitudinal stripes. Head is large and wide with a yellow face and is almost flat. The legs are mainly yellow.The wings are transparent, with a large, dark brown spot near the wing tip.

Life Cycle

Much unknown but genusmay be be associated with ants, perhaps feeding on ant-attended root aphids, has been reported to be reared in the laboratory on pea aphids.

Habitat

In grassy habitat amongst the shelter of vegetation trees or shrubs

IMAGE 21670 (C) 2008 COLIN DUKE