''Hammerschmidtia ferruginea '', the Aspen hover fly, is a rare, species of

syrphid fly Hover flies, also called flower flies or syrphid flies, make up the insect family Syrphidae. As their common name suggests, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults of many species feed mainly on nectar and pollen, while ...

. It has been observed in Canada, Alaska and the northern United States. Hoverflies get their names from the ability to remain nearly motionless while in flight. The adults are also known as flower flies for they are commonly found around and on flowers, from which they get both energy-giving

nectar Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants in glands called nectaries or nectarines, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualists ...

and protein-rich

pollen Pollen is a powdery substance produced by seed plants. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm cells). Pollen grains have a hard coat made of sporopollenin that protects the gametophyt ...

. Larvae for this genus are of the rat-tailed type. ''Hammerschmidtia ferruginea'' larvae have been described by Rotheray.

Description

''Hammerschmidtia ferruginea'' is a large (10–12 mm) orange-brown hoverfly with a feathered arista. It resembles ''

Brachyopa ''Brachyopa'' is a Holarctic genus of hoverfly, hoverflies whose grey and brown colouration is unusual for this family and these flies can easily be overlooked amongst members of other fly families. The larvae can be found under the bark of dead ...

'' and ''Hammerschmidtia'' was in the past a subgenus of ''Brachyopa''. In general appearance it is more like a dryomyzid or sciomyzid than a syrphid. The larva is illustrated in colour by Rotheray.

Distribution

Scotland east through Northern and Central Europe then to Central Asia, Siberia and on to the Pacific. In North America Alaska south to Arizona.Peck, L.V. (1988) Syrphidae. In: Soos, A. & Papp, L. (eds.) ''Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera'', 8: 11-230. Akad.Kiado, Budapest.

Habitat

'' Pinus'' or '' Betula'', and '' Quercus'' forest with overmature '' Populus tremula''. It is a bioindicator.

Biology

Adults may be found sitting on trunks of ''Betula'' and old ''Populus tremula'', or on nearby logs and stumps . Flowers visited include white umbellifers, ''

Crataegus ''Crataegus'' (), commonly called hawthorn, quickthorn, thornapple, Voss, E. G. 1985. ''Michigan Flora: A guide to the identification and occurrence of the native and naturalized seed-plants of the state. Part II: Dicots (Saururaceae–Cornacea ...

'', '' Ranunculus'' and '' Salix'' and choke cherry. They fly from the end of May until the end of July. .

References

External links

Images reprenting ''Hammerschmidtia ferruginea''
Diptera of Europe Eristalinae Insects described in 1817 Taxa named by Carl Fredrik Fallén {{Syrphidae-stub