Platycheirus sticticus

[stuart]

Platycheirus sticticus (Meigen, 1822)

Identification ease/difficulty: 4

Status

• Notable in Falk (1991)

Sources of information

• Page 124, Pl. A, fig 15; Pl. 1, fig 9 in Stubbs & Falk (1983)
• Map here and page 124 in Ball & Morris (2000)
• Page 184, Pl. R, fig. 15; Pl. 1, fig. 9 in Stubbs & Falk (2002)

[stuart]

Species account from Provisional atlas of British hoverflies, Ball & Morris, 2000.

Platycheirus sticticus (Meigen, 1822)

Biology: Larvae unknown. The habitat preferences of adults are little known, but the species has been taken in rough grassland, along woodland edge and hedgerows up to 240m. This is a little known and poorly recorded species and more information would be welcome

Distribution: There are few records, widely scattered from southern England to northern Scotland. It appears to be scarce, but may well be overlooked amongst commoner grey-marked Platycheirus species

[stuart]

Datasheet from the Review of Scarce and Threatened Diptera, Falk (1991).

PLATYCHEIRUS STICTICUS (Meigen) NOTABLE

DISTRIBUTION Records widely dispersed in England, Wales and Scotland as far north as West Ross.

HABITAT Broadleaved woodland and adjacent grassland, often near to rivers, and possibly favouring a lush ground flora and damp, unimproved meadows.

ECOLOGY Larvae probably aphidophagous though details unknown. Adults recorded from April to September and have been observed feeding on buttercups and amongst dense stands of sweet cicely Myrrhis odorata along the River Dee in Scotland.

STATUS An extremely local though widespread species with some eight known post 1960 sites though probably overlooked to some extent due to its small size and rather secretive habits in vegetation.

THREAT Clearance of woodlands and improvement of grassland for agriculture or afforestation. The loss of lush vegetation along wood margins and river banks through overgrazing, river improvement schemes and excessive trampling.

MANAGEMENT Ensure the presence of open and clearings in woods and maintain a lush vegetation in these, along wood edges and river margins.