Chequered Hoverfly - Melanostoma scalare

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    Description

    The males have longer, thinner bodies than females, with lozenge-shaped yellow spots compared to the triangular spots in females. Both sexes have largely yellow antennae.

    Identification difficulty
    Habitat

    Lush herbage in well wooded areas and even gardens.

    When to see it

    April to November peaking at the end of May and in August.

    UK Status

    Common throughout Britain.

    VC55 Status

    Very common in Leicestershire and Rutland.

    • David Nicholls
      Bardon Hill
      05 May 2006
      female
    • David Nicholls
      Martinshaw Wood
      14 April 2012
      male
    • Kate Nightingale
      Cropston garden
      14 July 2014
      Male
    • Graham Calow
      Sapcote garden1
      20 April 2009
      male
    • Kate Nightingale
      Charnwood Lodge
      13 August 2014
      female
    • David Nicholls
      Gilroes Cemetery
      06 May 2012

    Leicestershire & Rutland Map

    MAP KEY:

    Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
    Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

    UK Map

    • David Nicholls
      Nature Alive NR, Coalville
      10 September 2004
      female
    • David Nicholls
      Rutland Water, Egleton NR
      02 September 2005
      female
    • David Nicholls
      Watermead Country Park
      20 April 2007
      female
    • Graham Calow
      Sapcote
      21 May 2009
      female
    • David Nicholls
      Bardon Hill
      05 May 2006
      female
    • HAPeacock
      Leicester Garden
      07 April 2012
    • David Nicholls
      Ratby garden
      21 April 2012
    • HAPeacock
      Gilroes Cemetery Extension
      24 April 2012
    • HAPeacock
      Goss Spinney
      24 April 2012
    • Barbara Cooper
      Long Clawson
      14 May 2012
    • HAPeacock
      Leicester Garden
      11 May 2012
    • HAPeacock
      Leicester Garden
      11 May 2012
    • David Nicholls
      Ulverscroft
      18 May 2012
    • David Nicholls
      Ratby
      09 June 2012
    • Peter Smith
      Cropston garden
      21 July 2012
    • David Nicholls
      Narborough Bog
      02 May 2011
    • David Nicholls
      Ullesthorpe Stewardship Farm
      02 September 2011
    • HAPeacock
      Leicester Garden
      05 August 2011
    • HAPeacock
      Leicester Garden
      01 April 2012
    • HAPeacock
      Leicester Garden
      07 April 2012
    • Paul Ruddoch
      Melton Country Park
      27 May 2016
    • Paul Ruddoch
      Rhubarb Island
      03 May 2015
    • Paul Ruddoch
      Melton Country Park
      14 May 2015
    • Paul Ruddoch
      Melton Country Park
      09 October 2015