HOVER-FLIES IN ESSEX 91
satisfactory identification. I found a male scutellaris at Shadwell Wood,
Ashdon, on 12 May 1973, at rest on a leaf of Prunus laurocerasus.
Liogaster metallina F.
VC 18, 19. A common fly, observed at flowers of the buttercups Ranun-
culus acris, R. bulbosus, R. repens and of Stellaria holostea.
L. splendida Mg.
VC 18, 19. Colchester (Harwood, in HD); Benfleet, 6 July 1947 (CNC).
Orthoneura splendens Mg.
VC 18, 19. A common species, observed at flowers of Cardaria draba
and of the Umbellifers Angelica sylvestris, Daucus carota, Foeniculum
vulgare, Heracleum sphondylium and Torilis japonica.
O. nobilis Fln.
VC 18. Benfleet, 7 June 1953 (C. O. Hammond).
Chrysogaster hirtella Loew
VC 18, 19. Common in damp places. Taken at flowers of Ranunculus
acris, R. repens and Rosa sp.
C. macquarti Loew
VC 19. Colchester, 1916 (Harwood, at BM). P. J. Chandler tells me that
in Surrey this is a species of acid bogs, so its continued existence in Essex
seems doubtful.
C. solstitialis Fln.
VC 18, 19. A common late summer species, taken on flowers of the
Umbellifers Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium
and Torilis japonica.
C. chalybeata Mg.
VC 18, 19. Harlow, on Heracleum sphondylium flowers by the Stort
Canal, 4 July 1964; Stanford-le-Hope, a female on Daucus carota flowers,
16 August 1972 (G. Glombek); Little Waltham Alder Carr Reserve, a
female on Daucus carota flowers by the slurry pond, 28 August 1972.
C. virescens Loew
VC 19. Colchester, 1914 etc. (Harwood, in HD).
Neoascia podagrica F. 4-30 May and in late summer till 4 October
VC 18,19. Abundant throughout the county, this small fly has been seen
at flowers of Cardaria draba, Anthriscus sylvestris and garden carrot, but
it is generally found flying near the ground among low herbage.
N. obliqua Coe
VC 18. Loughton, 18 May 1946 (CNC). It is odd that Coe (1953) does
not cite this record.