Species details

Eupeodes luniger (Meigen, 1822)

Nomenclature

Syrphus luniger Meigen in Coe (1953), Metasyrphus luniger (Meigen) in Stubbs & Falk (1983). Eupeodes species C of Stubbs & Falk (2002) is now regarded as a dark variant of E. luniger.

Biology

The larva feeds on aphids associated with a variety of low growing plants. The adults are very mobile and likely to be found visiting flowers in almost any fairly open situation from clearing in woods, to farmland and urban parks, gardens and waste ground. They are frequent visitors to gardens. Males hover at some height beside bushes and in shafts of sunshine in woodland. There is huge variation in form that appears to be related to the temperatures experienced during larval and pupal development.

Distribution

This is a very widespread and common species. It often occurs at a slightly different time of year to E. corollae, and can be more frequent, especially in south-east England. It is highly migratory and numbers are probably augmented in some years by immigrants from southern Europe.