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Hello,

I photographed this Syrphidae in the Ardèche (Southern France) the June 16th 2013. Fellowing the key of van Veen (2010), I arrived to Eumerus ovatus. I wonder if someone could confirm this identification.

Thank-you
Benoit

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On a French forum, some have suggested that it could be a Merodon maybe Merodon aberrans.

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Nope, you are quite right assuming this is Eumerus. But in the ovatus group there are a few species that look like this, for example bayardi, niveitibia and indeed ovatus. So it's not completely clear which one it is.

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Thank-you for the reply.

Male Eumerus niveitibia have blue tergites whereas in the present fly the tergites are redish. I wonder if E. sinuatus could also be considered?
http://cyrille.dussaix.pagesperso-orange.fr/Eumerus_sinuatus/E.sinuatus-illus.htm