Recent hoverfly records from Essex
ROGER PAYNE
Central Museum, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS2 6EW
Brachypalpus laphriformis (Fallen) Notable (Scarce)
This is a woodland hoverfly rarely recorded from Essex. Peter Harvey found this species at Warren
Hill in Epping Forest (TQ4195) on 27.vi.2000, which appears to be the first Essex record since F.B.
Jennings collected it in the Forest in 6.vi. 1922. There is also a specimen in the Hope Department at
Oxford taken by P. Harwood on 12.V.1912, also from Epping Forest. The larvae feed in rot holes in
trees especially Beech, but also Ash and oak.
Cheilosia griseiventris Loew
A scarce hoverfly in Essex. Its larva is unknown, but thought to be associated with yellow composites
such as Common Cat's-ear. There are 2 new records, a male on Little Burstead Common (TQ6591)
on 14.viii.1993 taken by Peter Harvey, and another in Garnetts Wood (TL6518) in August 2000
taken by Neil Harvey.
Cheilosia soror (Zetterstedt) Notable (Scarce)
This is a new species for Essex, recorded by Charles Watson. He found a female at Debden (TL5334)
in the north-west of the county on 9.viii.2000. This fly is usually found on chalk or limestone, often
along hedgerows and in woodland clearings. Adults are fond of Umbellifers, but the larvae feed
inside underground fungi.
Heringia latitarsis (Egger) Notable (Scarce)
(= Neocnemedon latitarsis Egg.)
Until 1999, the only record for this nationally scarce species was a male taken from a spider's web
on Ludgate Plain, Epping Forest on 25.viii.1946 by Leonard Parmenter. Over 50 years later on
28.vii. 1999 Neil Harvey found a male in Shut Heath Wood (TL8513) near Great Totham. In August
2000 he found two males and a female in Levelly Wood (TL7228), north-west of Braintree, and
collected another female from the Langdon Hills near Basildon (TQ6986). Three new sites for a
species not seen in the county for over 50 years is remarkable. The larvae feed on aphids, especially
woolly aphids on certain trees. Adults are 'little black jobs' not easily seen, but fly in sunlit rides,
visiting flowers such as Cow Parsley, Bramble and wild roses. Some authors have suggested that this
is an arboreal species, so that perhaps it descends to the ground only for a restricted time. In Surrey
it is restricted to woodlands on the sands, which are often of a heathy nature (Morris 1998).
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 18 (2001)
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