34 Syrphidae. 



has no systematic value but is mere similarity, the family is in no 

 way related to the Conopidae. 



The species are generally very characteristic ; they are sometimes 

 somewhat small, but generally medium sized to large flies; they may 

 be quite dark or black, but sometimes thorax has yellow stripes or 

 markings, and abdomen has in most cases such markings as pairs of 

 lunulate or transverse spots or as transverse bands, very varied in 

 shape and extent, and in some cases the pale colour is predominant. 

 The species are rarely somewhat bare, often densely but short-haired, 

 and in not few cases more or less long-haired or densely pilose, 

 resembling Bomhi. 



The species occur on fieids, meadows and in woods and thickets, 

 often especially on humid piaces or at the horders of water, and they 

 form an essential and conspicuous part of the Insect-life; some are 

 especially seen at ulcerated and flowing stems of trees ; certain species 

 as the Xi/lota-species are generally seen running on large leaves. 

 Many common species occur almost everywhere in great numbers. 

 The family is distributed all over the world and goes high towards 

 the north, several species being found in Greenland. Most of the 

 species are able to hover in the air; this holds good for both sexes, 

 but it is only the males which hover continuously more or less high 

 in the air, often rather high, and they may then be seen standing 

 almost motionless on the wings. The species are considered to feed 

 on juices from the flowers, and nearly all species are also generally 

 seen on various flowers, perhaps especially on Umbelliferæ and Gom- 

 positæ, but also on many others; Martelli states (Boll. del. Labor. di 

 Zool. Gen. e Agrar, in Portici, V, 1911, 45) of Lasiophthicus pyrastri 

 that it feeds on the excrements of Aphides and on the juices of 

 flowers especially of Umbelliferæ; it is, however, not easy to imagine 

 that their relatively so strong and well armed mouth should be only 

 used in sucking juices. The behaviour of the sexes at copulation is 

 somewhat like that known for many Dolichopodids, the male hovers 

 in the air above the female resting on a leaf or a flower; I have 

 observed this courtship especially in Neoascia, Eristalis and Helophilus. 

 Some species are recorded to produce a curious noise or "singing", 

 also when at rest; it has especially been recorded for Helophilus, 

 Sericomyia and Microdon-, Westwood (Introd. II, 557) thinks that in 

 Helophilus this sound is produced by the plumula (which he knew 

 only in this genus), and Verrall thinks the same with regard to 

 Microdon ; about Sericomyia interesting notes are found in Entom. 

 Month. Mag. XVIII, 1881, 159, 189, 190. 



About 660 species of the family are recorded from the palæarctic 



