Species details
Lejogaster tarsata (Megerle in Meigen, 1822)
NomenclatureLejogaster splendida (Meigen) in Stubbs & Falk (1983).
BiologyThe 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.
DistributionAlthough 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.
StatusLower Risk (Nationally scarce) - Ball & Morris, 2010. Notable - Falk, 1991.