05 de febrero de 2024

Heteropsilopus nr. ingenuus with scutal stripe

This is a list of observations depicting this species, nothing more.

This species is like H. ingenuus but has restricted wing markings, not connected anteriorly in the male and not extending to the wing apex. More notably, the scutum is grey pruinose (rather than shining green) and has a distinct dark stripe in the center. H. trifasciatus is similar but has 4 bands on the wings with the distal two connected posteriorly, as well as dorsally blue eyes.

Most abundant in SA, but still relatively common in VIC.

Males:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/68429955
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/199338828
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/69976630
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/25618688
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/72039551
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/149520524
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/25621358
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/1175974
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/68986334
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/108010994
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/149702425
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/151867835
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/152192343
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/149689017
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/197869080
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/195031507
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/197667519
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/197367914
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/196312935
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/198852591
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/26342035
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/67230179
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/199433578
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/199433613
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/199656930
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/199739576
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/194969382
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/107947147
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/151271773
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/72589953
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/68445246

Females:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/68756787
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/106885485
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/68042510
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/149697294
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/150386405
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/199084371
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/200062277
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/200151878
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/200710522
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/40633906
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/107351314
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/159616315
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/199975637
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/110353009
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/200264708
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/110358847
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/150386405
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/150469309
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/134950562
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/105492950
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/197355557
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/12186575
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/103507238
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/151895454
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/105585871
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/152123569
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/107359140
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/150272421
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/147858573
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/192908634
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/197674297
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/50643351
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/42917699
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/150286243
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/150805709
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/39066405
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/197667661
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/195160455
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/43022702
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/107338597
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/71052464
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/70491906
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/69910596
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/154047568
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/197594452
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/25618900
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/25679863
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/155599327
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/154407809
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/154393677
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/156549023
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/72602061
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/153022532
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/149204155
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/148219904
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/147520089
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/112966245
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/151895541
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/152448299
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/152345900
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/151252897
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/147259055
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/149204222
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/196794894
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/196399834
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/194943919
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/146869409
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/149596013

Publicado el febrero 5, 2024 10:27 TARDE por zdanko zdanko | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

20 de enero de 2024

22 de octubre de 2022

Marked Wing Condylostylus

There are three species of Condylostylus that we don't have a lot of information on, and that are very similar. They are C. inornatus, C. quadricolor, and C. leonardi. All three differ from other marked wing species by having the fore tibiae yellow. Here I will be adding information and accumulating links to possible and confirmed observations.

C. inornatus

Unlike the other species, the mid tibia is dark.
Confirmed observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/93545891

C. quadricolor

Unlike C. leonardi, the hind tarsal segments steadily decrease in length, and the border of the green-black areas on each tergite is diffuse.
Confirmed observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/123902280
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/123182305
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/115937086
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/109613622
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/106406506
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/93687482
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/84493302
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/74010927
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/39780304

Likely, based on range:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/77148364
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/20934981
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/138153856
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/129845812
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/73957125
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/123017348
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/18872833

C. leonardi

Unlike C. quadricolor, the last three hind tarsal segments are all subequal in length, and the border of the green-black areas on each tergite is sharp.
Confirmed observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/133698570
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/133860943
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/120273319
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/105136835
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36996072
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/133712421

Likely, based on range:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/133635244
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/92814269
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/93199299

Females

of C. quadricolor and C. leonardi are distinct from females of the C. sipho group in that they have a dark posterior area on the hind femora.
Observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/120273316
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/123320254
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/60385421
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/115995861
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/106406502
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/128160949
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/76041141
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/121393367
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/64223604
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/96330119
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/115414488
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/76968353
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/91027484

Publicado el octubre 22, 2022 11:31 TARDE por zdanko zdanko | 3 comentarios | Deja un comentario

29 de agosto de 2022

31 de julio de 2022

02 de marzo de 2022

09 de agosto de 2021

Rearing Homopteran-Predatory Syrphid Larvae

My experience with rearing Syrphids is limited to aphid-eating predators. For information about rearing larvae that don't feed on aphids, refer to Rotheray, 1993 (see footnote*).


With the assistance of @edanko, I have reared three Syrphine species: Allograpta obliqua, Eupeodes americanus, and Syrphus knabi. All three of the genera predate on aphids. Here's how I went about it:

First, put the larva in a small, preferably plastic, container. You can choose to put a layer of paper towel on the bottom right now if you wish. Put a layer of paper towel covering the opening of the container, and attach with a rubber band.

Next, you'll want to find a healthy colony of aphids to harvest from. If possible, it's preferable to take from the colony you found the larva on. Every morning and every evening, depending on how fast your larva eats, take a leaf of aphids and put it in the container with the larva. This worked for me, but I'm sure there are more efficient ways of doing that.

Once the larva pupates, if you didn't already, put paper towel on the bottom of the container so it doesn't roll around. Now, all you have to do is wait. Check on the pupa throughout the days to see if the fly has emerged. Once it has, your time to photograph it is limited.

My method to photograph is to put the container in a large ziploc bag, and push the lens through the opening of the bag, leaving as little space as possible for the fly to escape. Hopefully, at this point it's recently eclosed, so it won't fly that much.

Once you have the necessary photos, you can try, if you're confident enough, to get the fly on your finger or another rigid object, and carry it outside. There, you can get better photos with nice lighting, and once the fly is ready, it can leave your finger and fly away.


Thanks for reading! I hope this is helpful. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please leave them in a comment or message me so I can edit this post. This is somewhat of a wiki, as I want this to be a good resource for rearing predatory Syrphids. See comments below from other people with experience in this for some more tips.

*(See p. 26: https://diptera.info/downloads/df_1_9_Colour_Guide_to%20Hoverfly_Larvae.pdf)

Publicado el agosto 9, 2021 03:29 TARDE por zdanko zdanko | 20 comentarios | Deja un comentario