[NatureNS] Odd Fly

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From: c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 00:52:11 -0300
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Hi Angus,

On 20-Oct-06, at 12:33 AM, Angus MacLean wrote:

> Thanks, Chris. I believe from some research I did since yesterday  
> that these are mimics of Potter Wasps. Does that sound reasonable?  
> (of course Tiphiid wasps are also a possibility).

My knowledge of syrphids is pretty slender, however, I think many  
(maybe even most?) species, however, are considered to be wasp or bee  
mimics. I've no idea what wasp Sphaerophoria imitates in particular;  
could be a potter wasp or some other vespid. I've no idea if this is  
even known.

Cheers,

Chris

> Angus
>
> At 07:11 PM 10/19/2006, Chris Majka wrote:
>> Hi Angus,
>>
>> On 18-Oct-06, at 9:39 PM, Angus MacLean wrote:
>>
>>> I believe I can see the haltere on this creature, so a fly, but  
>>> the abdomen is so oddly shaped (like a wasp) and brightly  
>>> coloured that I wonder. Unfortunately I was only able to get this  
>>> one photo before it flew. Does anyone know what it is?
>>>
>>> http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=273483144&size=m
>>>
>>> The abdomen suggests a Robber Fly but the wings appear too small/ 
>>> frail.
>>
>> This is another syrphid fly. It is a member of the genus  
>> Sphaerophoria. See for example:
>>
>> http://www.veluwe-insecten.nl/zweefvliegen/sphaerophoria/ 
>> sphaerophoria.html
>> http://popgen.unimaas.nl/~jlindsey/commanster/Insects/Flies/ 
>> SpFlies/Sphaerophoria.interrupta.jpg
>>
>> We have a large assortment of these species in our collection.  
>> Unfortunately, almost all of them are labeled (by Vockeroth who  
>> determined the series in 1971) as Sphaerophoria species (i.e.  
>> unidentified) or Sphaerophoria sp. nov. (i.e. an undescribed  
>> species) although there are a couple of specimens of Sphaerophoria  
>> philanthus Mg. So, at this stage, Sphaerophoria sp. is as far as I  
>> can go with the determination.
>>
>> All the best!
>>
>> Chris
>>
>> _._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._ 
>> ._._.
>>
>> Christopher Majka - Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
>>
>> 1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada  B3H 3A6
>>
>> (902) 424-6435   Email <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca >
>>
>> _._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._ 
>> ._._.

_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. 
_.
Christopher Majka - Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada  B3H 3A6
(902) 424-6435   Email <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. 
_.


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<HTML><BODY style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; =
-khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi Angus,<DIV><BR><DIV><DIV>On =
20-Oct-06, at 12:33 AM, Angus MacLean wrote:</DIV><BR =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite"> Thanks, =
Chris. I believe from some research I did since yesterday that these are =
mimics of Potter Wasps. Does that sound reasonable? (of course Tiphiid =
wasps are also a possibility).<BR></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span">My=A0knowledge of syrphids is pretty slender, =
however, I think many (maybe even most?) species, however, are =
considered to be wasp or bee mimics. I've no idea what =
wasp=A0<I>Sphaerophoria</I> imitates in particular; could be a potter =
wasp or some other vespid. I've no idea if this is even =
known.</SPAN></DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Cheers,</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Chris</DIV><BR><BLOCKQUOTE =
type=3D"cite"> Angus<BR><BR> At 07:11 PM 10/19/2006, Chris Majka =
wrote:<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite" class=3D"cite" cite=3D"">Hi =
Angus,<BR><BR> On 18-Oct-06, at 9:39 PM, Angus MacLean wrote:<BR><BR> =
<BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite" class=3D"cite" cite=3D"">I believe I can see =
the haltere on this creature, so a fly, but the abdomen is so oddly =
shaped (like a wasp) and brightly coloured that I wonder. Unfortunately =
I was only able to get this one photo before it flew. Does anyone know =
what it is?<BR><BR> <A =
href=3D"http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=3D273483144&size=3Dm"> =
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=3D273483144&amp;size=3Dm</A><BR><B=
R> The abdomen suggests a Robber Fly but the wings appear too =
small/frail.</BLOCKQUOTE><BR> This is another syrphid fly. It is a =
member of the genus <I>Sphaerophoria</I>. See for example:<BR><BR> <A =
href=3D"http://www.veluwe-insecten.nl/zweefvliegen/sphaerophoria/sphaeroph=
oria.html"> =
http://www.veluwe-insecten.nl/zweefvliegen/sphaerophoria/sphaerophoria.htm=
l</A> <BR> <A =
href=3D"http://popgen.unimaas.nl/~jlindsey/commanster/Insects/Flies/SpFlie=
s/Sphaerophoria.interrupta.jpg" eudora=3D"autourl"> =
http://popgen.unimaas.nl/~jlindsey/commanster/Insects/Flies/SpFlies/Sphaer=
ophoria.interrupta.jpg</A> <BR><BR> We have a large assortment of these =
species in our collection. Unfortunately, almost all of them are labeled =
(by Vockeroth who determined the series in 1971) as <I>Sphaerophoria</I> =
species (i.e. unidentified) or <I>Sphaerophoria</I> sp. nov. (i.e. an =
undescribed species) although there are a couple of specimens of =
<I>Sphaerophoria philanthus</I> Mg. So, at this stage, =
<I>Sphaerophoria</I> sp. is as far as I can go with the =
determination.<BR><BR> All the best!<BR><BR> Chris<BR><BR> <FONT =
face=3D"Times, Times"> =
_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.=
<BR> </FONT><BR> <FONT face=3D"Times, Times">Christopher Majka - Nova =
Scotia Museum of Natural History<BR> </FONT><BR> <FONT face=3D"Times, =
Times">1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada=A0 B3H 3A6<BR> =
</FONT><BR> <FONT face=3D"Time