Taxonomy
Eumerus funeralis
Distribution
Species Biology
Preferred environment
Open ground, dry grassland and clearings in dry woodland; to a significant extent anthropochorous, occurring also in suburban gardens and land used for horticultural purposes.
Adult habitat & habits
Flies close to the ground in sparsely vegetated grassland and woodland clearings; over flower-beds in gardens etc.; fast-flying, settling often on bare ground or stones. In Ireland, this species has been only found in suburban gardens or land used by horticulturalists for production of ornamental bulbiferous plants. It has almost certainly been transported to Ireland with bulbs and apparently continues to be dependent upon human activities for its survival here. Its natural habitat, of dry grassland supporting wild bulbiferous plants, is hardly available in Ireland. Gardens with abundant daffodils, tulips and crocuses are the most likely places to encounter E. funeralis in Ireland.
Flight period
End April/September, with peaks in June and August. Larva: described and figured by various authors, including Hodson (1927, 1932a) and illustrated in colour by Rotheray (1994); phytophagous, feeding in damaged bulbs of Amaryllis, Hyacinthus and Narcissus etc.; classed as a minor pest of horticulture, but is apparently more or less confined to bulbs already damaged by other agents. This species overwinters as a larva (Brunel and Cadou (1994).
Flowers visited
Euphorbia, Fragaria, Leucanthemum, Ranunculus.
Irish reference specimens
In the collections of NMI and UM
Determination
van der Goot (1981), Bradescu (1991), Doczkal (1996c). This species appears in recent literature as E. tuberculatus, (Rondani). E. funeralis appears in Peck (1988) as a synonym of E. strigatus (Fallen), but was reinstated as the correct name for tuberculatus Rondani, sensu aucct. by Speight et al (1998). The female of E. funeralis possesses a unique feature, in the form of a longitudinal ridge along each lateral margin of abdominal tergite 5 (figured in Speight, 1979 and Marcos-Garcia, 1983). E. vandenberghei Doczkal is extremely similar to E. funeralis and, although at present known only from Corsica (Doczkal, 1996c), could occur elsewhere. At least in Mediterranean parts of Europe there is thus need to ensure that E. vandenberghei is not mistaken for E. funeralis. The adult insect is illustrated in colour by Bartsch et al (2009b) and Torp (1994). Recent illustrations of the male terminalia of E. funeralis are provided by Marcos-Garcia (1983) and Doczkal (1996c).
Distribution
World distribution(GBIF)
Probably originated in the Mediterranean basin, but the species is becoming cosmopolitan, being known from much of the Palaearctic region and N America, except cold-climate zones, and in S America; also introduced to Australia and New Zealand. E. funeralis probably originated in Mediterranean parts of the Palaearctic Region, but has been inadvertently introduced by man to many different parts of the world and is now well-nigh cosmopolitan.
Irish distribution
Added to the Irish list by Speight (1979). Additional Irish records are published by Anderson (1987) and Nelson (1988), all under the name tuberculatus Rondani. Its occurrence in the vicinity of both Belfast and Dublin suggests this species could be found in almost any large urban area in Ireland. The few records may well be more a reflection of the lack of collecting activity for syrphids in Irish suburban gardens, than anything else. Speight (1985a) suggested that E. funeralis is probably not a resident species here, but its persistent occurrence in gardens round Dublin argues against this interpretation and, even if it never establishes itself in any natural habitat in Ireland, it would seem that it is now a resident insect of Dublin's suburbia.
Temporal change
Records submitted to Data Centre in 2024
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References
Publications
Speight, M. C. D. (2008) Database of Irish Syrphidae
(Diptera). Irish Wildlife Manuals, No. 36. National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dublin, Ireland.
Speight, M.C.D. (2014) Species accounts of European
Syrphidae (Diptera), 2014. Syrph the Net, the database of European Syrphidae,
vol. 78, 321 pp., Syrph the Net publications, Dublin.