562 



Syrphidae. 



47. Sericomyia Meig. 



Rather large flies of dark colour with conspicuous yellow bands 

 011 abdomen, not very hairy. The genus is not similar to Arctophila 

 in outer appearance, but it is nearly allied to it. Frons slightly more 

 protruding. Antennæ as in Arctophila but inserted a little above the 

 middle. Epistoma sHghtly hoUowed between the antennæ and the 

 central knob, which latter is slightly larger than in Arctophila and 

 placed a little higher upwards; below the knob the epistoma is con- 

 siderably retreating; it is much less descending than in Arctophila and 

 not pointed below (fig. 190) ; the colour is yellow with a black middle 

 line and black lower side parts. There is a furrow at the lower inner 

 eye-margin as in Arctophila. Proboscis and oral cone long; clypeus 

 with a long basal part, and the mouth parts otherwise as in Arcto- 

 phila and likewise somewhat long 

 and slender; the maxillar lacinia 

 relatively a little shorter, the pal- 

 pus distinctly longer than the la- 

 cinia; the labella a little less nar- 

 row. Scutellum black or reddish, 

 with a short marginal fringe below. 

 Genitalia as in Arctophila, the claws 

 of the hypopygium likewise un- 

 symmetrical. Legs with the hind 

 femora less thickened. Wings with 

 the medial cross-vein placed just 

 behind the middle of the discai cell. 

 The developmental stages have 

 not been described, but Watkins 

 has mentioned that S. borealis has 

 been bred (Naturahsts' Journ.1896), 

 and Bloomfield, who mentions the 

 same case (Ent. Month. Mag. XXXIII, 1897, 222), communicates that 

 the larva was found in May in a shallow pool in a peat bog with 

 decomposing sods; it is a rat-tailed larva with a rather long tail, and 

 it is of a dull grey colour. — It is somewhat curious that the genus 

 has a larva of this type. 



The species of Sericomyia are beautiful flies with their brightly 

 banded abdomen. The genus is easily distinguished from Arctophila 

 by the shorter and slighter hairiness and the less descending epistoma, 

 The species occur in woods, especially in rather open districts, on 

 moors and in fens, and they frequent various flowers; in middle 



Fig. 189. S. horealis, male genitalia from 

 below, showing the large, unsymmetrical 

 claws; 4 — 8 fourth to eighth ventral seg- 

 ments, 9 ninth segment or hypopygium. 



