HOVER-FLIES
In the Essex Naturalist for 1970 I appealed for records
of Diptera (two-winged flies). I am now starting to compile
a list of Hover-flies (Syrphidae) for the county with a view
to producing a paper dealing with their distribution, past
and present, in Essex. I should be very glad to have any
records, or specimens, which members can send me.
Hover-flies can be found in even the smallest garden
throughout Spring, Summer and Autumn and sometimes very rare
species can turn up at garden flowers, though many of the
more interesting flies are normally restricted to old
woodland, or to coastal marshes. But records even of the
commonest species will be welcome, especially if they are
accompanied by a note of the precise habitat, and of course
the date. Hover—flies are amongst the most important
pollinators of our wild flowers and information as to the
particular flowers at which they are taken would be of great
interest. There is some evidence that certain Syrphids are
attracted to flowers of particular colours, or even to
individual species of flower, but more observations are
needed in this field.
A very full account of the hover-flies of Kent,
recently published by the Kent Field Club, listed no fewer
than 183 species of Syrphidae for that county. The Essex
list is at present considerably less impressive, but if we
can recruit more observers, there is no reason why most of
the species of South-East England should not be discovered
in our own county. It would be especially useful if some of
our members living in North Essex would turn their attention
to these insects; the great majority of recent records come
from the southern part of the county and from the London
suburbs.
If anyone would like to take up the study of these most
attractive and abundant insects, but is doubtful about the
way to start, I should be pleased to offer advice as to
techniques, indentification of species, etc. Perhaps it
would be useful to say here that hover-flies can be killed
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