196 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 13: 2001 



SHORT COMMUNICATION 



Hoverfly (Syrphidae) records from North Uist and the Monach Islands, Scotland — 

 July 1999— North Uist (57°. 35' N, 7°. 15' W), surface area of 341 km 2 , and the five 

 Monach Islands (57°. 30' N, 7°.40' W), total area of 3.5 km 2 , are flat and largely 

 treeless islands that lie in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Scotland. Together 

 with the other Outer Hebrides, these islands are relatively 'unexplored' for hoverflies 

 (Whiteley, 1994; Stubbs & Falk, 1993). During a week of uncharacteristically hot and 

 dry weather in North Uist (24-30.vii.1999) and a visit to Ceann Ear, the largest of 

 the Monach Islands, on 31 .vii. 1999, we observed the following sixteen hoverfly 

 species on North Uist, one of which, Platycheirus manicatus, occurred also on the 

 Monach Islands. 



The low hoverfly abundance and diversity we observed probably reflects the 

 relatively small size and geographical location of the islands, and the region's usual 

 wet and windy weather conditions. However, collecting was not exhaustive or 

 systematic, and concentrated largely on the northern half of North Uist. The greatest 

 abundance of species was observed in the sand dunes and flower- rich machair at Solas, 

 Newton, Balranald and Clachan Shanda. In the last of these locations, two male 

 corncrakes (Crex crex (L.)) were calling. Unless otherwise stated, all the species listed 

 below were seen in these habitat types. In addition, on passing through Skye to reach 

 North Uist, we found Eristalis pertinax (Scop.) on a roadside verge at Broadford. 



Melanostoma mellinum (L.) and Melanostoma scalare (Fab.): both Melanostoma 

 species were found only in Eriophorum vaginatum-rich moorland near Weaver's 

 Point, Lochmaddy. Platycheirus albimanus (Fab.): machair on North Uist and 

 present also on a roadside verge at Broadford, Skye. Platycheirus clypeatus (Meigen); 

 Platycheirus manicatus (Meigen): common on North Uist and the only species 

 observed from Ceann Ear (Monach Islands), where it was widespread in the machair. 

 Metasyrphus corollae (Fab.); Sphaerophoria sp.?: females only found within 

 Eriophorum vaginatum-rich. moorland near Weaver's Point, Lochmaddy. Syrphus 

 vitripennis Meigen; Cheilosia illustrata (Harris); Cheilosia latrifons (Zett.); Rhingia 

 campestris Meigen; Lejogaster metallina (Fab.); Eristalis abusivus Collin; Eristalis 

 intricarius (L.); Helophilus pendulus (L.); Sericomyia silentis (Harris): in Eriophorum 

 vaginatum-rich moorland near Weaver's Point, Lochmaddy and boggy moorland at 

 Newton, as well as hill-topping on Ben Mor c. 190 m above sea level. However, the 

 S. silentis specimens collected in North Uist had white-yellow abdominal bars 

 (tergites 2-4) which were more similar to those of Sericomyia lappona (L.) as 

 illustrated in Stubbs & Falk (1993, p. 107; plate 8), and S. lappona specimens in the 

 collection of the Natural History Museum, London. The scutellum in S. silentis (North 

 Uist specimens) is almost black, while in S. lappona (museum specimens) it is reddish. 

 This may be a more reliable aid to identification than the colour of the tergite bars. 



We thank Edward Wake, Katherine Wake and Susie Gibbs for their assistance 

 with this study; Niall Johnson (The Uist Outdoor Centre) for taking us to the 

 Monach Islands in Sea Fury, and Nigel Wyatt (The Natural History Museum, 

 London) for confirming our hoverfly species determination. — Angus McCulloch, 

 57 Endell Street, London WC2H 9AJ & Andrew Wakeham-Dawson, DETR, 

 Floor 3/H11, Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6DE 



References 



Stubbs, A. E. & Falk, S. J. 1993. British Hoverflies. British Entomological and Natural History 



Society. 

 Whiteley, D. (Ed.) 1994. A Special Collection of Papers on the Outer Hebrides and Rum. 



Dipterist's Digest, 14. 



