Species details

Lejogaster tarsata (Megerle in Meigen, 1822)

Nomenclature

Lejogaster splendida (Meigen) in Stubbs & Falk (1983).

Biology

The larva is aquatic and has been found among floating, decaying vegetation in a pond. Adults are most often found in or near coastal marshes, for example at the fringes of mildly brackish ditches, or in the transition zone between fresh and saline water in coastal flushes. They visit flowers, especially white umbels and Ranunculus.

Distribution

Although this is mainly a coastal species in Britain there are confirmed inland records, but confusion with L. metallina makes the distribution difficult to assess. It appears to be a scarce species generally, but can be abundant at some localities.

Status

Lower Risk (Nationally scarce) - Ball & Morris, 2010. Notable - Falk, 1991.