Melangyna arctica is a Holarctic species of hoverfly.
Description External images For terms see Morphology of Diptera The wing length ranges from 5·75-7·5 mm. Tergites 3 and 4 display white to yellow marks. The wing membrane is entirely covered with microtrichia, and the scutellar hairs are no longer than the scutellum. The male terminalia was illustrated 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. and the larva was depicted in colour by Rotheray (1994).Rotheray G., 1993 Colour Guide to Hoverfly Larvae Diptera, Syrphidae in Britain and Europe Dipterists Forum pdf
See references for determination'Van Veen, M. (2004) Hoverflies of Northwest Europe: identification keys to the Syrphidae. 256pp. KNNV Publishing, Utrecht.addendum 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
Distribution Palearctic Fennoscandia, Britain and Ireland, Schwarzwald (Germany), the Czech Republic, France (Pyrenees and Alps), Switzerland, Liechtenstein. North and Central Siberia to Kamchatka.Nearctic Alaska and Canada, Rocky mountains to as far as Colorado.Peck, L.V. (1988) Syrphidae. In: Soos, A. & Papp, L. (eds.) Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera, 8: 11-230. Akad.Kiado, Budapest.Fauna Europaea
Biology Habitat: Abies, Picea, Pinus forest and deciduous woodland (Alnus, Betula Salix). Arboreal, but descends to visit flowers of Acer pseudoplatanus, Galium, Ilex, Prunus spinosa, Ranunculus, Salix, Stellaria, Taraxacum. 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 April to June ( later at higher altitudes). The larva is associated with aphid-infested trees.
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