Late Summer Diptera

Towards the end of the Summer, the weather has been more conducive to hoverflies. In particular there have been very good numbers of Eristalis species visiting plants such as Wild Angelica, Wild Carrot and Hemp Agrimony. As the Ivy comes into flower this too attracts a lot of species.

Eristalis species visiting Wild Angelica near Yardley Hastings.


I have had several reports of Volucella inanis and a couple of reports of the even larger hornet mimic Volucella zonaria in Northampton.

Volucella inanis at Boddington Meadow Nature Reserve.

The hoverfly Rhingia rostrata has recently colonised many parts of Northants. It tends to be more frequent in Autumn, although I did note it a couple of times in the Spring. It can be separated from the more common Rhingia campestris by having all-yellow legs and no black edges to the abdominal segments.

Rhingia rostrata at Rothwell Gullet Nature Reserve.

Autumn also brings out a number of cranefly species. The most prominent is the long-palped cranefly Tipula paludosa. This can emerge in large numbers from damp grasslands and frequently enters houses.

Tipula paludosa at Rothwell Gullet Nature Reserve.