Species details

Neoascia tenur (Harris, 1780)

Nomenclature

Neoascia dispar (Meigen, 1822) in Coe (1953) and Kloet & Hincks (1976).

Biology

The larva has been found at about the level of the water surface within the stem sheaths of dead Reedmace Typha sp. in a slow flowing stream. As an adult, this is probably the most frequently encountered member of the genus, occurring in lush vegetation around the margins of all types of water body, especially where beds of emergent plants such as Reed Sweet Grass Glyceria maxima, Greater Reedmace Typha latifolia or Common Reed Phragmites australis are present. Adults are most often found by sweeping such vegetation, but will visit a wide range of flowers.

Distribution

Widespread in wetlands throughout Britain, and often extremely abundant in suitable habitat. Generally less well recorded from upland areas, suggesting that any increase in occurrence may be a result of additional recorder effort.