Melangyna compositarum is a Holarctic species of hoverfly.
Description External images Wing length: .The face is narrower and shinier than in Melangyna labiatarum . In males, the sides of the face are almost parallel and the eyes are very slightly hairy. The thorax is shinier than in M. labiatarum male. 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 The male terminalia 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 undescribed.
Distribution Palearctic Fennoscandia South to the Pyrenees and northern Spain. Ireland eastwards through North Europe and Central Europe northern Italy and Yugoslavia. Then East into European Russia and Siberia from the Urals to the Pacific coast (Kuril Islands) Nearctic Alaska South through the Rocky mountains to New Mexico.Fauna EuropaeaPeck, L.V. (1988) Syrphidae. In: Soos, A. & Papp, L. (eds.) Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera, 8: 11-230. Akad.Kiado, Budapest.
Biology Habitat: Larix, Pinus forests. Arboreal, but descends to visit flowers of white Umbelliferae, Galium, Sorbus aucuparia.de Buck, N. (1990). "Bloembezoek en bestuivingsecologie van Zweefvliegen (Diptera, Syrphidae) in het bijzonder voor België". Doc.Trav. IRSNB, no. 60, pp. 1-167. The flight period is end May to September (July to September at higher altitudes). The larva feeds on aphids.
References