Meligramma guttatum

[stuart]

Meligramma guttatum (Fallén, 1817)

Nomenclature

• Melangyna guttata in Stubbs & Falk (1983)
• Melangyna guttata in RA33
• Melangyna guttata in Kloet & Hincks (1976)

Identification ease/difficulty: 4

Status

• Notable (as Melangyna guttata) in Falk (1991)
• Rare as Melangyna guttata in Shirt (1987)

Habitat indicator status

• H2 in Stubbs (1982)

Sources of information

• Page 143, Pl. 3, fig 6 (as Melangyna guttata) in Stubbs & Falk (1983)
• Map here and page 91 in Ball & Morris (2000)
• Page 218, Pl. 3, fig. 6 in Stubbs & Falk (2002)

[stuart]

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

Meligramma guttatum (Fallén, 1817) Syrphus guttatus Fallén in Coe (1953), Melangyna guttata (Fallén) in Stubbs & Falk (1983)

Biology: The larvae are aphidophagous, and have been reared from aphids on Acer pseudoplatanus. Usually found in woodland, especially wooded river banks, wet woodland and carr, where Salix or Alnus occurs. Adults are found in clearings where they visit flowers, especially white umbels

Distribution: Records are few but widely scattered. In the field, this species appears very similar to common Platycheirus species (e.g. P. albimanus, P. scutatus) and is probably overlooked

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

MELANGYNA GUTTATA (Fallen) NOTABLE

DISTRIBUTION Records scattered widely in England, Wales and Scotland including the Inner Hebrides and the Isle of Man.

HABITAT Broadleaved woodland.

ECOLOGY Larvae aphidophagous and have been found on the leaves of sycamore. Adults recorded from June to September in woodland rides and edges, usually feeding on umbels.

STATUS Widespread but extremely local with about a dozen known post 1960 sites. Probably under recorded to some extent, though some decline seems to have occurred. It seems to occur at low population levels at a site. Status revised from RDB3 (Shirt 1987).

THREAT Clearance of broadleaved woodland for agriculture and intensive forestry. Shading out of rides and clearings within woodland.

MANAGEMENT Maintain flower rich rides, clearings and wood edges and ensure a good age structure of trees in woodland, including very old trees.