Xanthandrus comtus is a species of hoverfly. It is found in the Palearctic.
Description External images For terms see Morphology of Diptera Wing length Wide abdomen with yellow marks. Thoracic dorsum polished black. Male with round marks on tergite 2 and confluent marks on tergites 3 and 4 (as a deeply incised band). Female with oval marks on tergite 2 and square marks on tergites 3 and 4. legs mainly orange. Antenne orange. Long black pterostigma. The male genitalia and larvae are figured by Dusek and Laska (1967).Dusek, J. & Laska, P. (1967) Versuch zum aufbau eines Naturlichen Systems mitteleuropaischer Arten der Unterfamilie Syrphinae (Diptera). Acta sc.nat.Brno, 1: 349-390. See references for determination.Van Veen, M. (2004) Hoverflies of Northwest Europe: identification keys to the Syrphidae. 256pp. KNNV Publishing, Utrecht.addendumVan der Goot, V.S. (1981) De zweefvliegen van Noordwest - Europa en Europees Rusland, in het bijzonder van de Benelux. KNNV, Uitgave no.32: 275pp. Amsterdam.Bei-Bienko, G.Y. & Steyskal, G.C. (1988) Keys to the Insects of the European Part of the USSR, Volume V: Diptera and Siphonaptera, Part I. Amerind Publishing Co., New Delhi. .Coe, R.L. (1953) Diptera: Syrphidae. Handbks.ident.Br.insects, 10(1): 1-98. R.ent.Soc.London. pdf
Distribution Palearctic Southern Norway South to Iberia. Ireland East through Central Europe and Southern Europe to Russia and the Caucasus and on to the Russian Far East and the Pacific coast; Japan; Formosa.Peck, L.V. (1988) Syrphidae. In: Soos, A. & Papp, L. (eds.) Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera, 8: 11-230. Akad.Kiado, Budapest.
Biology Habitat: Fagus, Quercus and Pinus forest and scrub. Flowers visited include umbellifers, Arbutus unedo, Filipendula, Juncus, Leontodon, Lonicera, Mentha aquatica, Rosa, Rubus, Succisa.de Buck, N. (1990) Bloembezoek en bestuivingsecologie van Zweefvliegen (Diptera, Syrphidae) in het bijzonder voor België. Doc.Trav. IRSNB, no.60, 1-167.
The larvae predate aphids and the caterpillars of various small moths including Tortricidae both on trees and low-growing plants. They are also predators of the caterpillars of the pine processionary moths Thaumetopoea pinivora and Thaumetopoea pityocampa.
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