Parhelophilus versicolor is a European hoverfly.
Description External images For terms see Morphology of Diptera Wing length is 7–9 mm. There is no posteroventral tubercle at base of Femur 3. Face is convex. Occiput has yellow hairs only. Reemer (2000) figures the male genitalia.Reemer, M. (2000) A new species of Parhelophilus Girschner, 1897 (Diptera, Syrphidae) from southwestern Europe. Dipteron, 3: 1-6. The larva is figured by Hartley (1961) Hartley, J.C. (1961) A taxonomic account of the larvae of some British Syrphidae. Proc.zool.Soc.Lond.,136: 505-573. 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 Fennoscandia South to Iberia and the Mediterranean basin. Ireland East through Europe into Turkey and European Russia then to western Siberia.Fauna EuropaeaPeck, L.V. (1988) Syrphidae. In: Soos, A. & Papp, L. (eds.) Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera, 8: 11-230. Akad.Kiado, Budapest.
Biology Habitat: Wetland. Fen, marsh and reed beds. Flowers visited include white umbellifers, Aegopodium podagraria, Cardamine, Cistus, Crataegus, Euphorbia, Filipendula ulmaria, Galium, Leontodon, Sorbus aucuparia.de Buck, N. (1990) Bloembezoek en bestuivingsecologie van Zweefvliegen (Diptera, Syrphidae) in het bijzonder voor België. Doc.Trav. IRSNB, no.60, 1-167. Flies May to August. The larva is aquatic. It has been collected from decaying rhizomes of Typha.
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