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Hoverflies

Shetland Entomological Group

 
 

None of these lists can be reproduced without written permission from SEG or SBRC.

 
DIPTERA
true flies
compiled by Mike Pennington and based mainly on information provided by Brian R. Laurence
 
Based mainly on Laurence (1997) but with updated information, although hoverflies (Syrphidae) includes information from wider sources - click here for a more detailed assessment of this family. In this list † indicates a species not recorded by BRL and central Mainland may include records from Bressay and Burra.
 
Trichoceridae (winter gnats)
Trichocera annulata  Mg.
Trichocera hiemalis Deg.  central Mainland and Yell.
† Trichocera regelationis L.  Unst.
† Trichocera saltator Harris  Unst.
 
Tipulidae (craneflies)
Prionocera turcica Fabr.  Yell.
Tipula alpium Bergroth  west Mainland.
Tipula grisescens Zett.  central Mainland.
Tipula lateralis Mg.  Yell.
Tipula marmorata Mg.  central Mainland and Yell.
Tipula oleracea Linn. Central and west Mainland.
Tipula paludosa Mg.  central Mainland, Whalsay and Yell.
Tipula rufina Mg.  central Mainland, Whalsay, Yell and Unst.
Tipula subnodicornis Zett.  Yell and Unst.
Tipula varipennis Mg.  Central and west Mainland and Yell.
Limonia didyma Mg.  west Mainland.
Limonia mitis Mg.  west Mainland.
Limonia nubeculosa Mg.  central Mainland.
Limonia tripunctata Fabr. 
Pedicia immaculata Mg.  west Mainland and Yell.
Limnophila ferruginea Mg.  west Mainland.
Limnophila meigeni Verrall  west Mainland, Yell and Unst.
Limnophila nemoralis Mg.  west Mainland.
Gonomyia dentata De Meijere  west Mainland.
Cheilotrichia cinerascens Mg.  Kergord, central Mainland.
Erioptera trivialis Mg. 
Ormosia depilata Edwards  west Mainland.
Molophilus obscurus Mg.  central Mainland.
Molophilus pleuralis De Meijere  west Mainland.
 
Pyschodidae (mothflies and owl-midges)
Pericoma avicularia Tonnoir
Pericoma nubila Mg.  Yell and Unst.
Pericoma pseudexquiseta Tonnoir  central Mainland.
Telmatoscopus labeculosus Eaton  west Mainland.
Telmatoscopus maynei Tonnoir  west Mainland.
Pyschoda grisescens Tonnoir  central Mainland and Yell.
Pyschoda phalaenoides Linn.  central Mainland.
Psychoda severeni Tonnoir  Yell.
Psychoda trinodulosa Tonnoir  central Mainland and Yell.
 
Dixidae
† Dixella martinii Pues  Fair Isle and Yell.
 
Thaumaleidae
Thaumalea verralli Edwards  west Mainland.
 
Ceratopoginidae (biting midges)
Culicoides impunctatus Goet.  central Mainland and Yell.
Isohelea sociabilis Goet. central Mainland and Yell.
Palpomyia (serripes?) Mg.  west Mainland.
 
Chironomidae (non-biting midges)
Macropelopia nebulosa Mg.  Yell.
Psectrotanypus varius Fabr.  Yell.
Ablabesymia monilis Linn.  Yell.
Cricotopus pulchripes Verrall  Yell.
Eukiefferiella claripennis Lundbeck  Yell.
Halocladius variabilis Staeg.  Central and west Mainland and Unst.
Synorthocladius semivirens Kieff.  Yell.
Bryophaenocladius vernalis Goet.  Yell.
Limnophyes exiguus Goet.  west Mainland.
Metriocnemus gracei Edwards 
Metriocnemus ursinus Holmgren
Metriocnemus “picipes” Mg.  This genus has been recorded from central Mainland, Yell and Unst.
Parametriocnemus stylatus Kieff.  Yell.
Pseudorthocladius curtistylus Goet.  Yell.
Smittia aterrima Mg.  central Mainland.
Smittia pratorum Goet.  Central and west Mainland and Yell.
Chironomus annularis Deg.  Unst.
Chironomus aprilinus Mg.  west Mainland and Yell.
Chironomus salinarius Kieff.  central Mainland and Yell.
Cryptochironomus redekei Krusemann  central Mainland.
Endochironomus lepidus Mg.  central Mainland.
Limnochironomus pulsus Walker central Mainland.
Paracladopelma laminata Kieff. 
Pentapedelium sordens Wulp  west Mainland.
Stictochironomus sticticus Fabr.  Yell.
Cladotanytarsus nigrovittatus Goet. central Mainland and Yell.
Micropsectra apposita Walker  Yell.
Micropsectra aristata Pinder  Yell.
Micropsectra fusca Mg.  Yell.
Tanytarsus brundini Lindeberg  Yell.
 
Simuliidae (blackflies)
Simulium aureum Fries  west Mainland, Yell and Unst.
Simulium zetlandense Davies  central and west Mainland and Yell.
 
Ansipodidae (window-midges)
Sylvicola fenestralis Scop.  central and west Mainland and Yell.
Sylvicola punctatus Fabr.  central Mainland and Yell.
 
Bibionidae
Bibio nigriventris Haliday  Yell.
Dilophus femoratus Mg. central and west Mainland and Yell.
 
Mycetophilidae (fungus-gnats)
Mycomyia fimbriata Mg.  central Mainland.
Brevicornu fuscipenne Staeg.  Yell.
Brevicornu sericoma Mg.  Yell.
 
Sciaridae
Trichosia caudata Walker  central Mainland.
Trichosia glabra Mg. 
Trichosia pilosa Staeg.  central Mainland.
Ctenosciaria hyalipennis Mg.  Yell.
Bradysia confinis Winn. group  Yell and Unst.
Bradysia inusitata Frey  central Mainland.
Bradysia nitidicollis Mg.  central Mainland.
Bradysia subtilis Lengersdorf  Yell.
Bradysia triseriata Winn. group  central Mainland.
Scatopsciaria nana Winn. 
Scatopsciara vitripennis Mg.  central Mainland.
Scatopsciara vivida Winn.  central Mainland and Yell.
 
Scatopsidae
Scatopse notata Linn.  central Mainland and Yell.
 
Cecidomyiidae (gall-midges)
Lestremia cinerea Macq.  west Mainland.
 
Stratiomyidae (soldierflies)
Microchrysa polita Linn.  Lerwick, central Mainland.
 
Empidae (danceflies)
Chersodromia arenaria Hal.  central and west Mainland.
Tachypeza nubila Mg.  west Mainland and Yell.
Platypalpus nigritarsis Fall.  central Mainland and Yell.
Platypalpus pallidiventris Mg. 
Platypalpus strigifrons Zett.  Yell.
Hybos femoratus Müll.  Unst.
Bicellaria sulcata Zett. 
Rhamphomyia morio Zett.  Yell and Unst.
Rhamphomyia simplex Zett.  west Mainland.
Rhamphomyia stigmosa Macq.  central and west Mainland and Unst.
† Rhamphomyia erythrophthalma Mg.  central Mainland
† Tachydromia arrogans L.  central Mainland
Xanthempis trigramma Mg.  central Mainland.
Empis tessellata Fabr.  south, central and west Mainland and Unst.
Empis verralli Collin  central and west Mainland, Yell and Unst.
Hilara chorica Fall. 
Hilara interstincta Fall. group  south Mainland and Whalsay.
Dolichocephala guttata Haliday  central and west Mainland.
Clinocera fontinalis Haliday west Mainland and Unst.
Clinocera stagnalis Haliday  Central and west Mainland and Yell.
Wiedemannia bipunctata Haliday  central Mainland and Yell.
Wiedemannia lota Walker  Yell.
 
Dolichopodidae
Dolichopus brevipennis Mg.  west Mainland and Yell.
Dolichopus discifer Stannius  central and west Mainland and Unst.
Dolichopus griseipennis Stannius  south Mainland.
Dolichopus lepidus Staeg.  Central and west Mainland.
Dolichopus nubilus Mg.  Central and west Mainland and Unst.
Dolichopus plumipes Scop.  Central and west Mainland, Whalsay and Yell.
Dolichopus rupestris Haliday  west Mainland and Unst.
Dolichopus urbanus Mg.  west Mainland and Unst.
Hydrophorus albiceps Frey  Yell.
Rhaphium brevicorne Curtis  Central and west Mainland.
Syntormon pallipes Fabr.  Central and west Mainland, Yell and Unst.
Argyra perplexa Becker  west Mainland.
Campsicnemus armatus Zett.  west Mainland.
Campsicnemus loripes Haliday  Whalsay.
Campsicnemus scambus Fall.  central Mainland, Whalsay and Yell.
Sympycnus desoutteri Parent  Yell.
 
Lonchopteridae
Lonchoptera lutea Panz  Yell.
 
Syrphidae (hoverflies)
Melanostoma mellinum  (Linn.)  R: first recorded in 1993, but frequent or common throughout the islands except Fair Isle. June-August.
† Melanostoma scalare  (Fabr.)  R: first recorded in 1995 but scarce in central Mainland and on Unst at least. July-August.
Platycheirus albimanus (Fabr.)  R: frequent in lowland habitats and on moorland edges throughout the islands. May-September.
† Platycheirus clypeatus (Mg.)  R: scarce in lush, damp areas throughout the islands; species has been split but all those examined critically have been P. clypeatus sensu stricto. June-August.
Platycheirus manicatus (Mg.)  R: common to abundant in lowland habitats throughout the islands. June-September.
Platycheirus nielseni Vockeroth  R: frequent on Unst, probably recorded from central Mainland and presumably overlooked elsewhere; old records of P. peltatus from Yell and elsewhere probably relate to this recently separated species. July-August.
† Platycheirus ramsarensis  Goeldlin de Tifenau, Maibach and Speight  R: first recorded in 1996 but scarce in acidic grassland or wet flushes on  Unst and Foula, presumably overlooked elsewhere. July-August.
† Platycheirus scutatus  (Mg.)  U: two records - at Lerwick Observatory, central Mainland, in June 1993 and Eswick, central Mainland in August 2004.
† Xanthandrus comtus (Harris) M: at least 10 on Unst and in central Mainland in September 2000 and several in west and central Mainland in August 2000, including some bred from larvae.
Episyrphus balteatus (Deg.)  M: annual in variable numbers, occasionally thousands as in July 1994, throughout the islands. June-October.
† Meliscaeva auricollis (Mg.)  M: first recorded in 1993 but almost annual, throughout the islands except Fair Isle. June-September but mainly August.
Eupeodes corollae (Fabr.)  M: annual in variable numbers, although usually scarcer than E. balteatus, throughout the islands. April-October.
† Eupeodes luniger (Mg.)  V: two records - Fair Isle in June 1993 and Norwick, Unst, in September 1995.
† Eupeodes lundbecki (Soot-Ryen)  V: four records - Fair Isle in August 1984 and two on Foula in August 1996 with another there in July 2000.
Parasyrphus punctulatus (Verrall)  V: two records - Kergord, central Mainland, in June 1993 and Foula in May 1995.
Scaeva pyrastri (Linn.)  M: just about annual in small numbers throughout the islands. June-August but once in April.
Scaeva selenitica (Mg.)  M: less than annual but recorded throughout the islands. April-October but mainly June.
† Sphaerophoria (scripta?) (Linn.)  V: at least 15 since 1994 on Mainland, Foula and Unst but all have been females or evaded capture so the specific identity is still uncertain. July-September.
Syrphus ribesii (Linn.)  M
Syrphus torvus Osten-Sacksen  M
† Syrphus vitripennis (Mg.)  M:
These three species are annual in variable numbers throughout the islands; although inseparable in the field  vitripennis appears to be the commonest from specimens. April-September but mainly July-August.
† Cheilosia albitarsis (Mg.)  U: collected in Shetland in June 1890 but not recorded since.
Rhingia campestris Mg.  R: common to abundant around crofting land throughout the islands. May-September.
Melanogaster hirtella Loew  R: common in damp lowland habitats throughout the islands except Fair Isle and Foula. June-July.
Lejogaster metallina (Fabr.)  R: common in damp lowland habitats throughout the islands except Fair Isle. May-August.
† Neoascia podagrica (Fabr.)  R: frequent around crofting land on Fair Isle but not recorded elsewhere. July.
Neoascia tenur (Harris)  R: scarce and very local in lush, damp habitats in south and west Mainland and Foula. July.
† Ripponensia splendens (Mg.)  U: one record - Fetlar in July 1985; seems unlikely but was verified by a reliable authority.
Eristalis abusivus Collin  U: one record - Trondra in June 1987.
Eristalis arbustorum (Linn.)  R: frequent in lowland habitats throughout the islands. May-October.
[† Eristalis horticola (Deg.)  X?: a record from south Mainland in September 1949 requires confirmation.]
Eristalis intricarius (Linn.)  R: common in lowland habitats throughout the islands. May-October.
[† Eristalis interruptus (Poda)  X?: records from Shetland in June 1890 and Burra and south Mainland in August 1993 require  confirmation.]
Eristalis pertinax (Scop.)  R (and M?): frequent in crofting land and gardens on Mainland, Bressay and Whalsay but records fom Unst seem to be immigrants. May-October.
Eristalis tenax (Linn.)  R (and M?): probably scarce on Mainland but records from Fair Isle, Foula and Unst are presumed immigrants. June-September.
† Helophilus affinis Wahlberg  V: one record - Fair Isle in August 1982; the only British record.
Helophilus pendulus (Linn.)  R (and M?): common in lowland habitats throughout the islands; sporadic abundance e.g.  in August 1996, may indicate immigration. May-September.
† Helophilus trivittatus  (Fabr.)  V: two records - Foula in July 1994 and Sandwick, Unst, in August 1995.
Sericomyia lappona (Linn.)  R: first recorded in 1993 but scarce in south and central Mainland. June-July.
Sericomyia silentis (Harris)  R: frequent on hills, wandering to lowlands regularly, throughout the islands, except Fair Isle and Foula. June-September.
Syritta pipiens (Linn.)  U: sporadic records, occasionally commonly, from throughout the islands, many co-inciding with immigration, but very rare recently. June-September.
 
Micropezidae (stilt-legged flies)
Calobata petronella Linn.  Kergord, central Mainland.
 
Psilidae
Loxocera fulviventris Mg.  Unst.
Psila humeralis Zett.  central Mainland.
 
Dryomyzidae
Heterocheila buccata Fall.
† Neuroctena anilis Fall.  central Mainland
 
Lauxaniidae
Lyciella rorida Fall.  central Mainland and Unst
 
Coelopidae (kelp flies)
Coelopa frigida Fabr.  west Mainland and Yell.
 
Heleomyzidae
Tephrochlamys rufiventris Mg.  Unst.
Scoliocentra caesia Mg.  central and west Mainland.
Heleomyza brachypterna Loew  south Mainland.
Heleomyza modesta Mg. s. czernyi Collart  south Mainland and Yell.
 
Sepsidae
Sepsis flavimana Mg.  west Mainland.
 
Sciomyzidae
Tetanocera robusta Loew  west Mainland.
 
Sphaeroceridae
Alloborborus pallifrons Fall.  Unst.
Copromyza similis Collin  central and west Mainland and Unst.
Crumomyia nitida Mg.  central and west Mainland, Yell and Unst.
Lotophila atra Mg.  central Mainland and Yell.
Ischiolepta vaporiorum Haliday  central Mainland.
Leptocera caenosa Rond.  central Mainland.
Leptocera fontinalis Fall.  central Mainland.
Leptocera nigra Olivier  Central and west Mainland.
Minilimosina baculum Marshall  central Mainland.
Minilimosina gemella Ronacek  central Mainland.
Minilimosina vitripennis Zett.  central Mainland.
Opacifrons septentrionalis Stenhammer  Yell.
Spelobia clunipes Mg.
Spelobia luteilabris Rond.  Yell.
Spelobia palmata Richards  central Mainland and Yell.
Spelobia rufilabris Stenhammer  central Mainland and Yell.
Spelobia talparum Richards  central Mainland.
Telomerina flavipes Mg.  Yell.
Thoracochaeta zosterae Haliday  Central and west Mainland.
Trachyopella minuscula Collin  central Mainland.
† Opacifrons humida Hal.  south Mainland
 
Pallopteridae
Palloptera umbellatarum Fabr.  central Mainland.
 
Piophildae
Piophila vulgaris Fall.  Yell and Unst.
 
Opomyzidae
Geomyza balachowskyi Mesnil  Foula and Unst.
Geomyza tripunctata Fall.  Yell.
Opomyza germinationis Linn.  south Mainland, Whalsay, Yell and Unst.
 
Otitidae
Herina frondescentiae Linn.  Unst.
 
Ephydridae
Notiphila cinerea Fall./nigricornis Stenhammer  west Mainland.
Hydrellia griseola Fall. 
Hydrellia modesta Loew  central Mainland.
Parydra pusilla Mg./nigritarsis Strobl  west Mainland.
Limnellia quadrata Fall.  west Mainland.
Scatella stagnalis Fall.  Central and west Mainland.
 
Drosophilidae (fruitflies or vinegarflies)
Scaptomyza graminum Fall.  central Mainland.
Scaptomyza pallida Zett.  west Mainland and Yell.
Drosophila andalusiaca Strobl  west Mainland.
Drosophila funebris Fabr.  south Mainland.
 
Agromyzidae
† Phytomyza angelicae Kalten. Unst. 
† Phytomyza lonicerae  Unst.
† Phytomyza syngenisiae (Hardy)/horticola Gour.  Unst.
 
Tachinidae
Siphona geniculata Deg.  West and central Mainland.
 
Calliphoridae (blowflies)
Calliphora uralensis Vill.  West and central Mainland, Foula, Yell and Unst.
Calliphora vicina Rob. Des.  West and central Mainland, Foula, Yell and Unst.
Bellardia viarum Rob. Des.  west Mainland.
Bellardia vulgaris Rob. Des.  central Mainland and Unst.
Cynomya mortuorum Linn.  South and west Mainland.
Protophormia terraenovae Rob. Des.  Central and west Mainland.
 
Ptychopteridae
† Ptychoptera minuta  central Mainland

 

Scathophagidae (dungfliess)
Scathophaga calida Curtis 
Scathophaga furcata Say South, West and central Mainland and Yell.
Scathophaga litorea Fall.  West and central Mainland and Unst.
Scathophaga stercoraria Linn. Yellow Dungfly South, West and central Mainland and Unst.
Ceratinostoma ostiorum Curtis Central and west Mainland and Yell.
 
Anthomyiidae
Anthomyia confusanea Michelson
Fucellia fucorum Fall.  South, Central and west Mainland and Yell.
Fucellia maritima Haliday  west Mainland and Yell.
Hydrophoria caudata Zett.  central Mainland.
† Botanophila fugax Mg. central Mainland.
Delia echinata Seguy  west Mainland.
Delia nuda Strobl 
Paregle cinerella Fall.  central Mainland, Yell and Unst.
Nupedia aestiva Mg.  South, Central and west Mainland, Yell and Unst.
Nupedia infirma Mg.  central Mainland and Yell.
Pseudonupedia intersecta Mg.  Souh and west Mainland.
[Pegomya argyrocephala Mg.  X: misidentification of next species.]
Pegomya bicolor Hoffm.  Central and west Mainland.
 
Fanniidae (lesser houseflies)
Fannia canicularis Linn.  Yell.
Fannia postica Stein  central Mainland and Yell.
Fannia scalaris Fabr.  central Mainland.
Fannia serena Fall.  Central and west Mainland.
 
Musciidae (houseflies)
† Azelia cilipes Hal.  central Mainland.
† Azelia macquarti Staeg.  central Mainland.
Orthellia viridis Wied.  Yell.
Morellia importuna Haliday  west Mainland and Unst.
Thricops longipes Zett.  South, Central and west Mainland and Unst.
Thricops semicinerea Wied.  west Mainland.
Hydrotaea basdeni Collin  south Mainland.
Hydrotaea cyrtoneurina Zett.  Yell.
Hydrotaea dentipes Fabr.  west Mainland, Yell and Unst.
Hydrotaea irritans Fall.  south and west Mainland and Unst.
Hydrotaea occulta Mg.  central and west Mainland.
Phaonia consobrina Zett.  central and west Mainland and Yell.
Phaonia incana Wied. south, central and west Mainland and Unst.
Phaonia palpata Stein  west Mainland.
Helina duplicata Mg.  Central and west Mainland, Yell and Unst.
† Helina impuncta Fall. 
Helina laetifica Rob. Des. 
Myospila meditabunda Fabr.  central Mainland and Yell.
Graphomya picta Zett.  west Mainland.
Spilogona falleni Pont  central Mainland.
Spilogona surda Zett.  west Mainland.
Spilogona trianguligera Zett.  central and west Mainland.
Limnophora maculosa Mg.  central Mainland.
Limnophora uniseta Stein  central Mainland.
Pseudocoenosia abnormis Stein  west Mainland.
Schoenomyza litorella Fall.  Whalsay and Yell.
Dexiopsis litoralis Zett. 
Coenosia intermedia Fall.  Yell.
Coenosia means Mg.  central and west Mainland.
Coenosia mollicula Fall.  west Mainland.
Coenosia perpusilla Mg.  west Mainland.
Coenosia pumila Fall.  central Mainland, Whalsay and Yell.
Coenosia tigrina Fabr.  central Mainland, Yell and Unst.
 
Hippoboscidae (flatflies)
† Ornithomya chloropus Bergroth

 

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