Platycheirus varipes
Appearance
Platycheirus varipes | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Diptera |
Family: | Syrphidae |
Subfamily: | Syrphinae |
Tribe: | Bacchini |
Genus: | Platycheirus |
Species: | P. varipes
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Binomial name | |
Platycheirus varipes Curran 1923
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Platycheirus varipes (the silver sedgesitter, commonly flower fly) is a rare species of syrphid fly observed in Northern Europe: Norway, Sweden, Finland; Greenland; central Asiatic Russia; and in North America from Alaska and Canada south to Colorado, via mountain chains.[1][2]
Hoverflies can remain nearly motionless in flight. Adult Platycheirus varipes are also known as flower flies for they are commonly found on flowers from which they get both energy-giving nectar and protein rich pollen. Larvae are aphid predators.[3][4]
References
[edit]- ^ Speight, M.C.D (2011). Species accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera), Glasgow2011 (PDF). Dublin: Syrph the Net publications.
- ^ Young, Andrew D (2012). A revision of the Nearctic species of Platycheirus Lepeletier and Serville (Diptera: Syrphidae) (master of SCIENCE). University of Guelph. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
- ^ Rotheray, G.E. (1993). "Colour Guide to Hoverfly Larvae (Diptera, Syrphidae) in Britain and Europe" (PDF). Diperists Digest. 9: 155.
- ^ Skevington, Jeffrey H (2019). Field Guide to the Flower Flies of Northeastern North America. ISBN 9780691189406.