#1
Can anyone confirm my tentative ID of this rather Asilid like hoverfly as Xylota segnis?
Photographed 28.5.09 in Wiltshire, southwest UK
NickU
#3
Thanks Niels. To me this fly seemed Asilid like as it seemed always to sit flat on leaves, with strong legs and an alert look, and then buzz off and keep returning. Just the "jizz" as in body language not the details of mouthparts, wing veins etc etc,. Obviously it wasn't hunting flies like Asilids, and I think it was chasing others of the same species away from its favourite sunning position, or maybe it was some kind of courtship display.
Nick
#5
Yes, I'm learning all the time, but i DID get the ID right on this one and did know it was a hoverfly all along, and only mentioned the Asilid resemblance as its posture and behaviour reminded me a little of them. I'm really an animal behaviourist by training and there did seem something different about the posture and behaviour of this syrphid, which reminded me of robber flies (and I once did a student project on their hunting behaviour and have photographed a few since). I'll be watching out for X segnis again this year and will see if my impressions are still the same and if I can work out why they fly out and back to the leaves they rest on like this one was...
Nick
