98 THE ESSEX NATURALIST
E. intricarius L. 9 April-1 September
VC 18, 19. Common throughout the county, and at flowers of Prunus
spinosa, Rubus fruticosus agg., Heracleum sphondylium, Oenanthe crocata,
Centaurea nigra, Cirsium vulgare, C. palustre, Inula helenium and Picris
echioides. Rarely seen in gardens.
E. tenax L. 16 February-24 December
VC 18, 19. This ubiquitous fly hibernates in the adult stage, so some of
the very late dates may refer to insects tempted out of hibernation by warm
weather. Observed at a huge range of flowers, and indeed my remarks on
Episyrphus balteatus earlier in this paper are equally apposite here:
Diplotaxis tenuifolia, Rubus fruticosus agg., Hedera helix, Foeniculum
vulgare, Heracleum sphondylium, Smyrnium olusatrum, Salix sp., Convol-
vulus arvensis, Mentha aquatica, Aster tripolium, Bellis perennis, Centaurea
nigra, Cirsium arvense, Inula crithmoides, I. helenium, Leontodon autum-
nalis, Petasites fragrans, Picris echioides, Pulicaria dysenterica, Senecio
jacobaea, S. squalidus, Sonchus arvensis, Tussilago farfara; Anemone cf.
blanda, A. japonica, Eranthis hiemalis, Eschscholtzia californica, Colletia
armata, Carrot, Polygonum baldschuanicum, Erica carnea, Buddleia davidii,
Hebe, Kentranthus ruber, Aster amellus, Calendula officinalis, single Dahlia,
Echinops, garden Erigeron, Golden Rod, yellow Helenium, Helianthus,
Liatris spicata, Chrysanthemum maximum, Michaelmas Daisy, Rudbeckia
laciniata, Daffodil and yellow Crocus.
E. abusivus Collin
VC 18. This insect appears to be largely coastal in its English distribu-
tion. It is almost indistinguishable in the field from one or two of the other
small Eristalis species, and is probably commoner than the single Essex
record suggests. Benfleet, a female taken by P. J. Chandler on 18 June
1966.
E. arbustorum L. 15 April-25 October
VC 18, 19. Very common everywhere, and observed at flowers of
Ranunculus sp., Cardaria draba, Diplotaxis tenuifolia, Crataegus monogyna,
Prunus spinosa, Rosa sp., Rubus fruticosus agg., Angelica sylvestris,
Anthriscus sylvestris, Foeniculum vulgare, Heracleum sphondylium, Smyr-
nium olusatrum, Torilis japonica, Convulvulus arvensis, Mentha aquatica,
Achillea millefolium, Aster tripolium, Centaura nigra, Chrysanthemum
leucanthemum, Cirsium arvense, Eupatorium cannabinum, Inula crithmoides,
I. helenium, Picris echioides, Pulicaria dysenterica, Senecio erucifolius,
S. jacobaea, S. squalidus, Taraxacum sp., garden Carrot, garden Erigeron,
Golden Rod, Michaelmas Daisy and Chrysanthemum maximum.
E. horticola De Geer
VC 18,19. Equally widespread, but much less common than arbustorum.
Taken at flowers of Ranunculus flammula, Crataegus monogyna, Rubus
fruticosus agg., Heracleum sphondylium, Achillea millefolium; and Paeonia
lactiflora.