HOVER-FLIES IN ESSEX 99
E. nemorum L.
VC 18, 19. Widespread, and perhaps rather more common than horticola
though much less abundant than arbustorum. Taken at flowers of Rubus
fruticosus agg., Heracleum sphondylium, Aster tripolium, Cirsium arvense
and Sonchus arvensis.
Merodon equestris F. 21 May-13 August
VC 18, 19. Abundant, particularly in gardens, where the larvae feed in
bulbs. The typical form is the commonest, followed by var. validus Mg.,
and then var. narcissi F. I have never seen var. transversalis Mg., but there
is a Colchester specimen in HD, bred by Harwood in 1908. The flies have
been seen at flowers of Crataegus monogyna, Senecio squalidus; Dianthus,
Geranium sanguineum, Mesembryanthemum, Calendula officinalis, Doro-
nicum and Chrysanthemum maximum.
Myiatropa florea L. 28 May-12 September
VC 18, 19. Plentiful and widespread. Observed at flowers of Rosa sp.,
Rubus fruticosus agg., Thelycrania sanguinea, Angelica sylvestris, Heracleum
sphondylium; and at Chrysanthemum maximum in gardens (but it is not a
common garden species).
Helophilus vittatus Mg.
VC 18, 19. This large and distinctive fly, which is remarkably unlike
most other hover-flies and superficially resembles the flesh-flies (Sarco-
phaga), appears to be exclusively a coastal and estuarine species of south-
east England, but there have been very few recent records except from
Kent. There is a Harwood specimen from the Colchester area in HD, and
a single female was taken at Benfleet on 6 July 1947 (CNC). The only
recent occurrence in Essex is of a male taken at Fobbing Marsh on 14 July
1972 by G. Glombek (Payne, 1973).
H. trivittatus F.
VC. 18, 19. This strikingly large species is mainly, though not entirely,
coastal in its Essex distribution. Colchester, 1895 (Harwood, in HD);
St. Osyth, 1895, 1904 (Harwood, in HD); Benfleet Marshes, 28 August
1946, 6 July 1947 (CNC); Hainault Forest, abundant round a pond 3 June
1951 (A. W. Jones, det. R. M. P.); Burnham on Crouch, 6 August 1958
(S. Lond. ent. & nat. Hist. Soc. field meeting); Leigh-on-Sea, 12 June
1969; Eastwood, 30 August-8 September 1973 (E. T. Levy).
H. pendulus L. 30 April-28 October
VC 18, 19. Very common throughout the county, especially near water.
Observed at flowers of Cardaria draba, Hedera helix, Mentha aquatica,
Knautia arvensis, Achillea millefolium, Aster tripolium, Centaurea nigra,
Chrysanthemum leucanthemum, Cirsium arvense, Inula crithmoides, I.
helenium, Picris echioides, Senecio erucifolius; Geranium cf. platycephalum,
Colletia armata, Chrysanthemum maximum, Echinops and Michaelmas
Daisy.