Cheilosia albitarsis (Meigen, 1822)
Scientific name: Cheilosia albitarsis (Meigen, 1822)
Common name:
French name:
Order: Diptera
Family: Syrphidae
Wingspan : 7-10 mm.
Biotope: Damp deciduous forests, river banks, lake and pond banks, marshes, clearings.
Geographic area: Europe, missing in the Iberian Peninsula.
Observation period : April to July with a peak late May.
Cheilosia albitarsis is a small common hoverfly.
The thorax and the abdomen are black. The thorax is hairy.
You can tell it apart by the colour of the tarsi which are yellowish-white with the fifth segment being black, on the leg tip.
Adults have been observed laying eggs on Bulbous Buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus) and the larvae are thought to feed on the roots of this plant species.

Cheilosia albitarsis - Yvelines, France - May 19th 2009
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Cheilosia albitarsis
Here is a nice front view where you can clearly see the numerous eye lenses.


Cheilosia albitarsis - Yvelines, France - May 19th 2009
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Cheilosia albitarsis
On this mating picture, you can clearly see the colour of the tarsi which confirm the identification of Cheilosia albitarsis.

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