Confirm Insect ID please - Cambs. UK (1 Viewer)

[DoghouseRiley]

Hi All

Took these pics a short while back at Trumpington Meadows, near Cambridge, UK. And I need to confirm identification.

1 - Tachina fera
2 - Variable Wasp Hoverfly (Chrysotoxum elegans)
3 - Chrysotoxum bicinctum
4 - Melangyna compositarum
5 - Mirid Bug (Deraeocoris ruber)

Thanks, Gareth

 

[aeshna5]

They look fine to me.

 

[DoghouseRiley]

Thanks aeshna5. At least I am getting some right

 

[Ficedula]

Hi All

Took these pics a short while back at Trumpington Meadows, near Cambridge, UK. And I need to confirm identification.

1 - Tachina fera
2 - Variable Wasp Hoverfly (Chrysotoxum elegans)
3 - Chrysotoxum bicinctum
4 - Melangyna compositarum
5 - Mirid Bug (Deraeocoris ruber)

Thanks, Gareth

I would be cautious with the Melangyna, few key features visible.

 

[DoghouseRiley]

Thanks again Ficedula

 

[Rotherbirder]

Why do you think 2 is Chrysotoxum elegans?

RB

 

[stuartelsom]

Just had a look at this and on 2, the yellow bands narrow towards the centre of the abdomen and are more like female Chrysotoxum arcuatum than C. elegans, which has broader and squarer bands. The rounder more globular abdomen also recalls arcuatum, whereas elegans is narrow and more tapered. Can I just double check that this image was definitely taken in Cambs?

Nice pics by the way!

Stu

 

[Ficedula]

Just had a look at this and on 2, the yellow bands narrow towards the centre of the abdomen and are more like female Chrysotoxum arcuatum than C. elegans, which has broader and squarer bands. The rounder more globular abdomen also recalls arcuatum, whereas elegans is narrow and more tapered. Can I just double check that this image was definitely taken in Cambs?

Nice pics by the way!

Stu

I too was worried about the abdomen shape, but arcuata is readily ruled out on antennal proportions. verralli is the confusion species but I decided elegans look closer, although I wouldn't put any money on it. Where do you get your info on the yellow abdominal bands? seems to be other way round to me?

 

[Rotherbirder]

I too was worried about the abdomen shape, but arcuata is readily ruled out on antennal proportions. verralli is the confusion species but I decided elegans look closer, although I wouldn't put any money on it. Where do you get your info on the yellow abdominal bands? seems to be other way round to me?

I'd be more inclined to go verralli but they aren't easy from images.

RB

 

[DoghouseRiley]

Another picture which might help?

Hi Stuart
To confirm, Trumpington Meadows, Cambridge
The two new pictures attached were taken earlier in the same area, I thought they were the same type.....
Hope this helps with the ID.
Gareth

 

[DoghouseRiley]

I have just had a look at Ball & Morris (2nd Ed.) The other Chrysotoxum illustrated (arcutum, cautum, elegans & verralli) all have a yellow scutellum, with a black mark in the middle. The photo of C.bicinctum shows it as black with a tiny line below it, much like my photo

 

[stuartelsom]

Hi,

C bicinctum is fairly straightforward, but the other Chrysotoxums are tricky as others have said. Verallii is probably most likely locally anyway.

Stu

 

[DoghouseRiley]

Hi Stu
Just to clarify...... You think that the pictures submitted are of C. bicinctum?
Yours, Gareth

 

[aeshna5]

Hi Stu
Just to clarify...... You think that the pictures submitted are of C. bicinctum?
Yours, Gareth

In post 10, yes.

 

[DoghouseRiley]

Thanks for everyones input. I appreciate the help.

Gareth