Species details

Rhingia rostrata (Linnaeus, 1758)

Biology

Larva unknown. Many records are associated with deciduous woodland where they visit flowers in rides and clearings. Like, R. campestris, it has two flight periods in May/June and again in early Autumn, but Autumn records are much more numerous, sometimes notably so (e.g. Coe, 1961).

Distribution

Although formerly very rare, this species has undergone a dramatic range expansion in southern England and through the Welsh borders. It has also established new populations in the East Midlands. More recently it has spread northwards at least as far as the southern Lake District. These changes are not artefacts of recording effort because most of the areas involved have been closely scrutinised for hoverflies for many years. It has also increased markedly in abundance and, in some areas, is at least as frequent if not more frequent, than R. campestris and the two species are frequently observed together visiting the same flowers.

Status

Was listed as "Vulnerable (RDB2)" by Shirt, 1987 and "Rare (RDB3)" by Falk, 1991, but dropped from this status by Ball & Morris, 2010 who consider it LOWER RISK.