Epistrophe grossulariae is a Holarctic species of hoverfly.
Description External images For terms see Morphology of Diptera Wing length 9-12·25 mm. Thorax dull greenish. Tergite 4 with entire yellow band. At least anterior femora dark at base, sometimes hind also. Frons black above lunule and at least half black-haired. Female has a bronzy-green area on upper part of frons. Yellow bands on tergites 3 and 4 straight. Tergite 5 with black band.
Van 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 Male genitalia are figured by Hippa (1968) .Hippa, H. (1968) A generic revision of the genus Syrphus and allied genera (Diptera: Syrphidae) in the Palearctic region, with descriptions of the male genitalia. Acta Ent.Fenn., 25: 1-94. The larva is illustrated by Rotheray (1993) Rotheray G., 1993 Colour Guide to Hoverfly Larvae Diptera, Syrphidae in Britain and Europe Dipterists Forum pdf
Distribution Palaearctic and Nearctic Fennoscandia South to Spain, Italy and Yugoslavia. Ireland eastwards through Turkey Russia to Kamchatka. In North America from Alaska to Quebec and South to California.Fauna EuropaeaPeck, L.V. (1988) Syrphidae. In: Soos, A. & Papp, L. (eds.) Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera, 8: 11-230. Akad.Kiado, Budapest.
Biology Habitat is deciduous woodland, particularly along rivers and streams, Salix swamp woodland, alpine grassland. Found in clearings, tracksides and beside streams. Flowers visited include white umbellifers, Centaurea, Cirsium, Filipendula, Geranium, Knautia, Rhododendron, Rubus, Sambucus nigra, Succisa, Valeriana.de Buck, N. (1990) Bloembezoek en bestuivingsecologie van Zweefvliegen (Diptera, Syrphidae) in het bijzonder voor België. Doc.Trav. IRSNB, no.60, 1–167. The flight period is end June to September. The larva feeds on aphids.
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