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Hello,
Last week I photographed a big syrphid male taking a sunbath on a label in our arboretum. It looked like an Eristalis, but there was no characteristic deep bend in the third wing vein. The protruding snout, the naked (?) eyes, the completely dark legs with swollen hind femora, the missing bands on the abdomen, and the shape of the wing mark make a set of characters I cannot assign to one of the Eristalis species I know. Please help me!
Many thanks, Sundew

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Criorhina

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I'd put my money on Brachypalpus - and I think it could be valgus (but syrphids are not really my territory - let's hear what Andre has to say)

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I'm with you Tony.

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Brachypalpus valgus is the right candidate if you ask me. It can be seen in early spring in very good forests with lots of dead wood near brooks and springs. I only caught it once... in Hessen
[Criorhina has, for one thing, a different shape of the antennae].

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I am delighted. An old arboretum is a really good biotope! Many thanks to all helpers. Though the label is no nice background, I shall put a pic in the gallery.
Sundew

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I reckon I found the female today. Superficially, she looks very bee-like. They will hopefully found a family!
Sundew

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You lucky bastard! (or how do you say that in German? )

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After some hesitation followed by due consideration I decided to take that as a big compliment... There is no exact equivalent in German ("Du Gl?ckspilz!", however, sounds a bit more friendly).
So go out and become a lucky bastard, too! Brachypalpus is flying!
Cordially, Sundew

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I was looking for it yesterday, but no luck. Just found Platycheirus occultus as most special species...