Melangyna arctica
Melangyna arctica is a Holarctic species of hoverfly.
Description
For terms see Morphology of DipteraThe wing length ranges from 5·75-7·5 mm. Tergites 3 and 4 display white to yellow marks. The wing membrane is entirely covered with microtrichia, and the scutellar hairs are no longer than the scutellum. The male terminalia was illustrated by Hippa,and the larva was depicted in colour by Rotheray.
See references for determination'
Distribution
Palearctic Fennoscandia, Britain and Ireland, Schwarzwald, the Czech Republic, France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein. North and Central Siberia to Kamchatka.Nearctic Alaska and Canada, Rocky mountains to as far as Colorado.Biology
Habitat: Abies, Picea, Pinus forest and deciduous woodland. Arboreal, but descends to visit flowers of Acer pseudoplatanus, Galium, Ilex, Prunus spinosa, Ranunculus, Salix, Stellaria, Taraxacum.The flight period is April to June. The larva is associated with aphid-infested trees.