Myolepta dubia

[stuart]

Myolepta dubia (Fabricius, 1805)

Nomenclature

• Myolepta luteola in Stubbs & Falk (1983)
• Myolepta luteola in RA33
• Myolepta luteola in Kloet & Hincks (1976)

Identification ease/difficulty: 3

Status

• Notable (as Myolepta luteola) in Falk (1991)
• Rare as Myolepta luteola in Shirt (1987)

Habitat indicator status

• H2 in Stubbs (1982)

Sources of information

• Page 184, Pl. 7, fig 1 (as Myolepta luteola) in Stubbs & Falk (1983)
• Larval plate Pl. 13f in Rotheray (1993)
• Map here and page 96 in Ball & Morris (2000)
• Page 276, Pl. 7, fig. 1 in Stubbs & Falk (2002)

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

Myolepta dubia (Fabricius, 1805) Myolepta luteola (Gmelin) in Stubbs & Falk (1983)

Biology: The larvae live in rot holes in deciduous trees, including * and Quercus. The larvae in a given rot hole may be of very mixed sizes, suggesting they require more than one year to complete development. Tends to be found in or near ancient deciduous woodland, but it has also been found in fenland in East Anglia (e.g. Wicken Fen) and a chalk-pit in Essex. This suggests that isolated trees in hedgerows and similar situations can provide suitable larval habitat. Adults can be found visiting flowers such as white umbels, usually in partial shade, and also sitting on leaves in dappled sunshine. Overwinters as larvae

Distribution: A scarce species recorded from south and south-east England, from Somerset and Dorset to East Anglia

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

MYOLEPTA LUTEOLA (Gmelin) NOTABLE

DISTRIBUTION South-east England, stretching to Wiltshire and Dorset in the west and Cambridgeshire and Suffolk in the north.

HABITAT Broadleaved woodland, occasionally fens such as Wicken in Cambridgeshire. There is a requirement for old and diseased trees and dead wood.

ECOLOGY The larvae have been found in a small rot hole on an old beech from which was dripping a black watery liquid at about three metres height. Adults recorded from June to August and visit flowers such as lime, bramble and umbels.

STATUS Recorded sporadically in the major old woodlands of southern England with about 20 known post 1960 sites. Status revised from RDB3 (Shirt 1987).

THREAT The clearance of woodlands for agriculture or intensive forestry and removal of old trees and dead wood.

MANAGEMENT Maximise the number of post mature trees, especially those with rot holes and ensure continuity of such trees in the future. Maintain open rides and clearings with flowers for adult feeding.