HOVER-FLIES IN ESSEX 79
The Hover-Flies of Essex
By R. M. Payne
49 Galton Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex
Introduction
This paper surveys the known distribution, past and present, of the
various species of Hover-Flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in Essex. It is, unfor-
tunately, handicapped by the very patchy nature of the information avail-
able, particularly in the earlier years covered. Essex has not in the past
been well served by either resident or visiting Dipterists, apart from the
Harwoods of Colchester.
W. H. Harwood (1840-1917), who contributed the section on insects in
the Victoria County History of Essex, volume 1 (1903), was an all-round
field entomologist who became interested in flies only in middle and later
life. He and his two sons B. S. Harwood and Philip Harwood lived at
Colchester and collected Diptera extensively in the vicinity of the town
during the early years of this century. An examination of their diaries,
which are preserved in the Hope Department of Entomology at Oxford
University Museum, has shown that their favourite collecting-ground was
the High Woods just north of Colchester, and here they found a number
of uncommon species of Syrphidae, mainly between 1895 and 1910. It is
of interest that an obituary notice of W. H. Harwood, written in 1918,
refers to the High Woods as 'once famous for their luxuriant oaks'. Other
localities they visited regularly were Stanway, Maldon Wood (behind
Clacton), Wivenhoe and St. Osyth Creek. The family moved out of Essex,
to Sudbury, in 1915. Many of the Harwood Syrphidae are now incorpor-
ated in the British Diptera collection at the Hope Department, and by the
kindness of the authorities there I have been able to examine these, as well
as the diaries. Most of the Harwood specimens at Oxford bear only the
name 'Harwood', apart from the locality and (usually) the date of capture,
so that one does not know which member of the family was the actual
collector. The diaries make it clear, however, that over several of the most
fruitful years both sons collected in company with their father. It was not
until the death of Philip Harwood in 1957 that the joint collection of
Diptera went to Oxford.
I must also record my thanks to the British Museum (Natural History)
for allowing me access to their collections. These also contain some of the
more interesting Harwood Syrphids, as well as other Essex specimens. The
personal records in card-index form of two of the leading British amateur
Dipterists, L. Parmenter and C. N. Colyer, are also in the possession of
the British Museum, and these both contain a number of Essex records.
A third museum to whose authorities I am indebted is the Passmore
Edwards Museum at Stratford. Here there is a small collection of Diptera,
of which the Essex Syrphidae consist almost entirely of insects bearing